Family businesses in Malta are set to come under the spotlight today, when a half-day conference in Valletta will present the findings of a new nationwide survey and put practical remedies on the table for enterprises struggling to convert rising revenues into healthy profit margins.

The event, titled “Turning Growth into Profit: Structure, Governance and Digitalisation in Family Business,” ran at The Malta Chamber in Valletta and formed part of Malta SME Week 2026. It brings together business leaders, policymakers and family business owners to examine why, for many family-run firms, turnover is climbing while profitability is not always following suit.

The Malta Chamber has organised the conference in collaboration with the Family Business Office and EMCS Advisory. Survey findings point to a consistent pattern across the sector: firms need stronger strategic planning, clearer governance frameworks, improved productivity practices and a more deliberate embrace of digital tools.

The morning opened with a welcome address from Jordy McKay of BNF Bank, before Silvan Mifsud, Vice President of The Malta Chamber, presenting the survey results in full. The Hon. Silvio Schembri, Minister for the Economy, Technology and Strategic Projects, addressed the attendees, followed by a question-and-answer session on the data. Later in the morning, Kurt Muscat of EMCS will lead an interactive discussion anchored in real-life case study videos, giving participants the chance to engage directly with the material rather than simply receive it from a podium. Dr Joseph Gerada, Regulator at the Family Business Office, delivers the closing address, with networking from 11:15am.

The organisers have pitched the conference as relevant to founders, directors and next-generation leaders alike. The central argument running through the programme is that governance and digitalisation are not abstract ambitions but measurable levers that well-run family businesses are already using to sharpen efficiency and protect long-term value.

Family enterprises remain a dominant force in the Maltese economy. The publication of a dedicated survey and the assembly of this calibre of speaker panel represent a meaningful step towards treating the sector’s structural challenges with the rigour they warrant.