AquaBioTech (ABT) Group has appointed Ray Muscat as the Chief Operating Officer (COO) of its Engineering Division.

The Mosta-based aquaculture consulting company, which has over 100 employees and has clients and projects in more than 55 countries, will benefit from the long and varied experience Mr Muscat brings to the table.

Since 2019, he has run his own management consulting firm, RJM Management Consultants, before which he was CEO of Bonnici Household’s Cyprus wing, where he was involved in the development and operation of the first JYSK franchise in the country.

Between 2012 and 2018, he served as Group Corporate Services Officer with Toly Products, responsible for Group ICT, Legal, Corporate Offices and Group Insurance as well as overseeing the development of the company’s €20 million Bulebel factory as project manager.

Mr Muscat’s previous roles were mainly in associated bodies, bringing a depth of experience and networking know-how AquaBioTech will be glad to have as it proceeds with plans to open major offices in Norway and Singapore.

His four years as General Secretary of the Chamber of Engineers were preceded by three and a half years as Director General of the Malta Chamber for Commerce, Enterprise and Industry. This was a position he held after previously holding the same role within the Federation of Industry, overseeing a merger process between the two organisations.

This period came after stints with Malta Enterprise, the Institute of the Promotion of Small Enterprise, BIM Ltd, and Medelec Switchgear Ltd.

About AquaBioTech Group

Founded in 1996, the ABT Group consists of three main divisions – an aquaculture, fisheries, and marine environment consulting, advisory, and training company, a contract research organisation division, and an engineering and development company.

Earlier this month, Norwegian seafood private-equity firm Bluefront Equity announced that it is acquiring significant stake in ABT Group, with the capital injection expected to speed up the Group’s international expansion plans.