When Christine Camilleri became CEO of Juanafil in November 2023, she knew the business inside out. Having joined in 1999 as a clerk, Christine had worked her way up to Head of Customer Services and Head of Operations, effectively becoming the right hand of co-founder, business owner and then-CEO Dr. Charles Attard.

Her vision for the company is deeply rooted in the business’s 32-year legacy with a keen eye on the future: “I want all of us at Juanafil to become a better version of ourselves,” Christine says. “Even before I became CEO, I always asked myself what I would want from the company if I were a client.”

That doesn’t mean putting her own opinion first, though. “One of our strengths is listening to clients and understanding their needs before offering services and solutions,” Christine explains. “Even as CEO, I make sure that I know all our clients personally and strengthen our relationships by visiting their businesses personally and making sure every client understands that they can always contact me directly.”

Christine’s approachability has helped the team and its clients navigate the transition to a new CEO. “Many of our longest-standing clients were dealing directly with our founder Charles Attard. Most of them knew me but in a different role, and they needed to get used to a new person with new ideas.”

Having a direct relationship with Juanafil’s clients and prioritising close communications proved to be critical. “I strongly believe that personal communication is essential. Something as simple as a call on a client’s birthday builds a personal relationship and is as important as letting clients know they can always reach out to me.”

In the 25 years since Christine joined the business, communication has changed drastically. “When the company was founded in 1992 and still when I joined in 1999, we relied on faxes and pagers as well as phone calls.”

The advent of the internet has changed that, and faxes or pagers have all but disappeared from modern offices. Christine says: “Despite the rise of email and other tools, I still believe in the power of a direct phone call. Calling allows me to hear the client’s voice and understand their emotions in situations when emails can lead to misunderstandings.

“We’re all humans and rely on our connections. Knowing that someone is only a phone call away can make a big difference to a relationship.” When clients are based abroad and meetings in-person are impossible, Christine prefers to schedule video calls: “I want to see our clients when we speak and understand their perspective better.”

Having said that, the team is happy to tailor its approach to client preferences. Juanafil works with self-employed clients and companies, offering services including company formation, classic accounting and bookkeeping services, tax advisory, payroll services, credit control and reporting, ISO certification, and more.

The team around Christine prides itself on being a one-stop shop for clients. In practice, most clients use the services of each of the company’s four departments at some point without having to connect with different people.

“From the beginning, our business model has been a little different from others in the same sector,” Christine explains. “Rather than having individual account managers in charge of clients, I meet most clients personally during the onboarding process.” Once she fully understands a client’s needs, Christine liaises with her department managers about their respective tasks.

At the moment, Juanafil employs approximately 40 people. “The team often feels more like a family, and we value integrity and loyalty above all else. Whether someone joins us with experience or not, we always provide training to ensure new team members know our methods and ways. What’s more, we encourage our team members to interact with clients directly. This helps strengthen client relationships.”

Currently, the team at Juanafil consists of Maltese staff and foreigners. Being able to speak Maltese remains a priority. “Some of our clients simply feel more comfortable speaking Maltese,” Christine says. On other occasions, speaking a foreign language is essential: “Several of our Italian clients need Italian speakers to discuss their business, and we’re happy to meet their needs.”

Some of the company’s clients have been with Juanafil for decades and have become ambassadors. “Word-of-mouth is the best advertising, and if our clients are happy, they’ll naturally recommend us to their friends and acquaintances.”

To maintain and expand the company’s position in a competitive market like Malta, Christine is looking to combine human connections with the benefits of technology. “A few years ago, we moved from paper-based operations to digital technology for many filing processes. We are now getting ready to use digital onboarding to become more efficient and service our clients better.”

Over the next five years, Christine wants to increase the company’s momentum to be more efficient. “We’re looking to become more competitive and attract customers who are looking for hands-on advice and a relationship that goes beyond pure business. Our goal is to build trust between us and our clients and have a long-term relationship.”

For herself, Christine is looking forward to seeing her vision for Juanafil turn into a reality. “No matter what challenges are coming my way, I always try to see the positive in everything.” Taking a step back to focus on the solution to a problem has not only helped her craft a successful career but also forged client relationships that can take Juanafil into a new era.