Malta Business Review

Over time, I have learned that having the right people, at the right time, in the right positions, makes my job much easier. Since I was a very young girl, I have always been taught that ‘A JOB WORTH DOING IS WORTH DOING WELL’ and most certainly this is the basis of whatever I do today, be it personal or corporate. It would be fair for me to say that the moral compass and the passion for work that my parents have instilled in me, guide me till this very day in every action I take, in every decision I make, and in every new venture I entertain. MBR: How do you describe ROCS Group’s culture and what have been the keys to maintaining culture? RV: ROCS has today become Malta’s leading household name. Recent surveys have shown that the brand is recognizable to the extent that people refer to it as a benchmark for service delivery, for landmark locations, for HR expectation, and other issues. Having ROCS on anyone’s CV is considered to be a plus, since at ROCS we foster a culture of hard-working talented people, who go the extra mile to deliver a service second to none. As a group, we are constantly on the lookout to going from good to great, as we truly believe that good is not good enough for us. One might interpret this as only talk, but through time I have learned that people tend to love this culture, they embrace it and they eventually become our best testimonials. It’s that feel-good factor of becoming the best version of ourselves, by harnessing such a philosophy. It is not easy to maintain such a culture, and in all honesty and fairness not everyone manages to keep up with our pace and some do quit. However, I feel blessed that those who have what it takes to stick around, are the people we want, those we call ‘doers’, who have what it takes to be ROCS material. Individuals who understand, appreciate, and action the ROCS culture in whatever they do. MBR: What has made ROCS Group so successful at building long-lasting client relationships and client loyalty? RV: We are true to our values in all the markets we opera te in. Building long-lasting relationships in such a small market like Malta is no small feat, as word of mouth is the strongest marketing medium that impacts the Maltese market. At ROCS, we inspire confidence, empower change, and walk the talk in all we do. Every minute, we challenge ourselves to give our absolute best with our colleagues and clients to the public and one another. We set ourselves apart through our passion and pride, and we make sure to be the change we want to see, whilst firmly believing that the word impossible is not part of our vocabulary. At the ROCS Group, 80% are women and 60% are foreign nationals - so diversity is very much at the heart of whatever we do. English is our language of choice, and we respect any religious choices our teams may embrace. Another very crucial belief is that at the ROCS Group one of our prime values is that “I CAN IS MORE IMPORTANT THAN IQ” (Any IQ is the cherry on the cake then) yet in our eyes attitude is key, without it, one cannot go anywhere, and this is the very basis of our everyday life. We have people coming from all walks of life and from the five continents thus having an open-minded common approach about positive attitude is key. We believe the ‘I CAN’ aspect is a value which one must adhere to and forms an essential part of our recruitment process. At a recent staff event I was amazed at how diversified our workforce is and even though when we first started this process of international recruiting, many companies were skeptical and looked oddly at the ROCS Group, today these same companies have emulated our approach and ironically ask us to support them by helping them build a diversified team like ours too.

MBR: Will you highlight ROCS Group’s history and heritage and what have been the keys to the firm’s growth and success? RV: The company started way back in the year 1971 when my parents returned from Australia. This was a time when the situation in Malta was still very uncertain, and surely not as developed as it is today. My parents managed to set up a business operation based on what they had experienced in Australia, starting a hospitality business in Mellieha. I still remember those days, the late 70s and early 80s when our food and beverage outlet used to be packed out every night and day and our short-lease apartments experienced a continuous flow of tourists coming and going every week. Many of them were repeat customers who would flock to Malta to enjoy the sun and the sea, relax in the picturesque village of Mellieha, furthermore, enjoy their dine & dance nightly experience at Charlie’s, my parents’ place. At the time, my dad had also started developing tourist apartments in Mellieha. Many thought he was out of his mind, but over time he was proven right, and the formula was eventually emulated by many others to a point whereby Mellieha today is considered one of the main touristic hotspots in Malta. MBR: How do you define the Rachel Vella difference and what sets the firm apart in the industry? RV: Well, I think that our united efforts as a team make a huge difference in the constant growth of our company. Then in every team, there must be that strategic leader who takes the difficult decisions. Being surrounded by the right people helps and makes all the difference. Rachel accepting the Best Business Leader of the Year award from Abigail Mamo, CEO at Malta Chamber of SMEs at the Local Business Awards 2021 held on the 26th of November 2021 at InterContinental Malta Never take your eyes off the target By George Carol Interview with Rachel Vella, Director ROCS GROUP, voted as Malta’s Best Business Leader for 2021 during Malta’s Local Business Awards

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Rachel Vella

A Job Worth Doing Is Worth Doing Well