With nearly 40 years of experience in the Maltese property market, Dhalia has long established itself as a household name on the island. While many agencies can consider themselves experts in connecting house hunters with the properties of their dreams, Dhalia has gone a step further in understanding the secret to a successful match.  

The agency has a reputation for being the friendliest real estate agency in Malta, and understands that this is a direct result of the fundamental culture of openness and family atmosphere that the company carries at its core.

Just like any close-knit family, Dhalia chooses to recognise and celebrate the successes of every individual, giving extra recognition to those who have excelled where credit is due. This year was no different, and the annual Awards Night was held towards the end of the summer at The Sheer Bastion in Isla.

The company CEO kicked off the celebrations with a show of gratitude. In his heartfelt speech, Alan Grima recalled the difficulties that the entire team faced during the pandemic, and how “thanks to our collaborative forces and amazing team, we have come out stronger, wiser and more equipped to face new horizons.” He pointed out that this was no mean feat, considering that the company runs 15 branches across Malta and Gozo, all offering over 30,000 property options through exceptional customer service.

Before moving on to the main event of the evening, Mr Grima highlighted one other success worth celebrating this year. The company’s new Accredited Training Centre has launched, offering exclusive courses to aspiring real-estate professionals and leading them to be properly licensed – a new requirement under the 2020 Property Consultants Act.

With a year’s worth of highlights acknowledged, it was time to announce the winners of this year’s awards. While the company emphasises that every single employee is crucial to Dhalia’s success, it is important to show the appreciation of exceptional performance in a number of categories.

The first winner of the night was Maria Spiteri from the Attard Branch, who won the Digital Brand Ambassador Award. 25 years of experience in customer service as a home loan manager in the banking sector truly prepared her for this next chapter in her career. Two years after joining Dhalia, it is safe to say that Maria’s results and her efforts in representing the brand through social media haven’t gone unnoticed.

Next up, Christine Mockridge and Gaetano Bugeja each took home the award for Most Promising Newcomer. They both joined the company in 2020 – Christine as a Property Sales Consultant and Gaetano as a Letting Consultant – and have each achieved excellent results during their short time on the team.

Mario Vella from the St. Julian’s Branch was presented with the award for Top Contributor to the Inventory for the year. In his own words, Mario believes that “honesty, integrity and passion in what you do are the keys to success in anything that you pursue”, and this has clearly shone through in his performance during 2020.

The Top Letting Consultant Award winner of the evening was Joanna Polidano from the Fgura branch. In her work, she focuses mostly on the southern region of the island, and with only two years of experience under her belt, has already proven herself successful throughout the toughest year for the industry in recent history.

On the Sales side of the business, Manuel Bartolo from the St. Venera branch was granted the Top Number of Sales Award. Manuel joined the firm in 2019 as a Property Negotiator, and credits his perseverance as the key to his success so far. He states that his objective is “to be consistent in delivering a high quality of service to my clients.”

The Chairman’s Recognition Award was presented to Gerald Gouder, Brand Manager of the St. Julian’s Branch. Gerald has worked with Dhalia for over 25 years, and says that he feels privileged about the whole experience, up until this very minute. “It has been incredible, and with great gratitude I wish to thank the people who have entrusted us with the selling and buying of their properties” he states. 

Konrad Sultana was the next winner of the evening. Konrad has been the Brand Manager of the Marsaskala Branch for over 17 years, and currently leads a team of 11 consultants. This year, he took home the Top Manager Award, and says that “working in such a successful team is the cherry on the cake.” 

Last, but certainly not least, the Top Sales Consultant Award was also granted to a member of the Marsaskala Branch. David John Dimech first joined Dhalia in 2015, and has since specialised in luxury properties as well as plots or sites for development. “Through the years in this industry, my total commitment to customer service, the contacts acquired and my amazing faithful clients have helped me earn several company awards and achievements,” David explains.

It is worth pointing out that both Konrad and David have won these awards for the past four years, cementing their undeniable achievements year on year, even through the pandemic. 

With all the awards presented, it was time for the Dhalia family to celebrate together over dinner and drinks, rounding off yet another successful year for the team, the brand and the individuals who deserved to be recognized.