Denise Micallef Xuereb

Denise Micallef Xuereb is the Director of Construction and Development at AX Group. She has also been recently appointed as Chief Executive Officer of AX Real Estate. As one of the few women operating in the top-flight of the local construction industry, Denise has accomplished many significant milestones and breakthroughs in the sector over the course of her career. 

Daughter of entrepreneur Angelo Xuereb and Josephine née Abela, Denise was born in Pieta and attended the Convent of the Sacred Heart during her primary and secondary school years. It wasn’t until her teens that Denise found a fascination with buildings and design, whereby she sought to follow in her father’s footsteps and forge her own path within the construction industry. After completing a B.Com Hons in Management at the University of Malta, Denise was entrusted with her first major project—overseeing the finishing stages of the five-star AX The Palace hotel in Sliema, which was completed in 2008.  

Capitalising on her passion and propensity for project management, Denise continued to build upon her first-hand experience in the field by embarking on an MSc in Project and Programme Management at the prestigious Ecole Superieure de Commerce, Paris. On her return to Malta, she was quick to put her newfound knowledge into practice through one of the most extensive construction projects carried out in Valletta in recent years.

The construction of the New Parliament Buildings and the reimagined Opera House, saw Denise take responsibility for managing the Joint Venture and works on site. Taking on the mantle of Director of AX Construction in 2010, Denise set about spearheading the restoration division within the firm by building a strong team of talented individuals who were capable of carrying out high-quality restoration works on Malta’s stone heritage. Under Denise’s directorship, AX Construction continued to strengthen its estimable reputation. In recent years, the firm has been entrusted with many landmark construction and restoration projects, including the building of the new visitor centre and restoration, works at St John’s Co-Cathedral in Valletta, the AX Business Centre in Mosta, the conversion of Farsons Brewhouse in Mrieħel, the rehabilitation of the Maritime Museum in Vittoriosa, the restoration and construction of a Visitor Centre at St. Paul’s Catacombs in Rabat, and countless other buildings of note. 

In addition to her directorship duties with AX Construction, Denise has served as an executive director on the AX Group board for the past 10 years. She is also Vice President of the Malta Developers Association, a member within the Chamber of Commerce, and an active participant in the Building Industry Consultative Council where she continues to champion sustainable development and eco-friendly innovations within the sector. 

Through her participation in various forums and conferences, she remains at the forefront of innovative ideas within the international scene and seeks to develop projects where quality design meets practical functionality that will serve well into the future. 

She has spearheaded a number of landmark projects such as the new Parliament Building, Hilltop retirement village, the restoration of various land-front fortifications, rehabilitation of the Valletta Old Market, the New visitor Centre at St. Paul’s Catacombs, and many more. She also sits on the Executive Board of AX Group.