Maria Bartolo Zahra is Managing Partner at SurgeAdvisory, with over 20 years’ experience advising organisations on HR, compensation and organisational effectiveness. Her work focuses on the intersection of people, structure and performance, supporting leaders as they navigate complex people challenges and implement solutions that work in practice and stand up over time.
She works closely with leadership teams to bring clarity to people decisions with long-term impact, particularly in periods of growth, change or increased complexity. Her approach is grounded and pragmatic, centred on building structures, systems and practices that are effective in day-to-day operations, aligned with organisational realities and understood by those expected to apply them. This practical focus helps ensure that people decisions translate into consistent behaviour, accountability and sustainable organisational performance.
HR & Compensation Advisory
A significant part of Maria’s work focuses on ongoing HR advisory and retained support, acting as a trusted extension of leadership teams. Many organisations do not require a full in-house HR function but do need consistent, senior HR input. Through retained advisory arrangements, Maria works alongside leaders as issues arise, providing continuity, perspective and experienced judgement over time.
This embedded approach allows her to support organisations across a wide range of people matters, including employee relations, performance challenges, organisational design, role clarity and change management. Her role is to bring calm, structure and clarity to situations that require careful handling and sound decision-making.
Alongside broader HR advisory work, Maria has developed deep expertise in remuneration and reward. She supports organisations with compensation and benefits reviews, pay and career structures, incentive and executive reward schemes, and performance management frameworks that are fair, defensible and aligned to business objectives.
Her work in reward and compensation is firmly rooted in practicality, with a strong emphasis on consistency, transparency and alignment with organisational realities. Maria regularly advises leadership teams on how reward decisions affect engagement, retention, governance and long-term sustainability.
Experience Across Sectors and Growth Stages
Maria has worked with organisations across a wide range of sectors, including manufacturing, hospitality, wholesale and retail, IT and financial services. She is frequently engaged by organisations navigating growth, restructuring or increased complexity, helping leaders assess people-related risks and opportunities and make balanced, informed decisions appropriate to their stage of development.
Within SurgeAdvisory, Maria’s work complements the firm’s governance and board advisory expertise, ensuring HR, reward and organisational design are integrated rather than treated in isolation.
Academic and Leadership Contribution
Alongside her advisory work, Maria has contributed to academia as a visiting lecturer at Middlesex University (Malta), teaching human resources strategy as well as leadership and management development in a global context. Teaching has further strengthened her ability to translate theory into practical application.
She has also held a number of leadership and governance-related roles, including National President of Junior Chamber International (JCI) Malta and Secretary General of BPW Malta. In 2009, she was selected by the US Embassy in Malta to participate in the International Visitor Leadership Program, focused on business development for women leaders.
Background and Professional Memberships
Maria holds a Master’s degree in Human Resources Management and Development from the University of Leicester, a Postgraduate Professional Diploma in Marketing from the Chartered Institute of Marketing, and a Certificate in Recruitment Practice. Her specialisation in reward management was further developed through studies with the Chartered Institute of Personnel and Development. She is also a member of the Foundation for Human Resources Development (FHRD).
Beyond Advisory Work
Outside of work, Maria is married and a mother of three boys. Balancing family life with advisory work has shaped her perspective on leadership, flexibility and the realities organisations face when supporting people at different stages of life.