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Our approach to HR & Corporate Advisory

We’re not just advisors. We’re builders — like you.

SurgeAdvisory is a Malta-based HR & Corporate advisory firm working with leaders and boards on governance, performance and people decisions. We support leaders in building clear structures around how organisations are led, governed and rewarded. Our work combines HR advisory, corporate governance and compensation expertise to help organisations make sound, defensible decisions that stand up in practice, not just on paper. We focus on clarity, accountability and long-term sustainability, grounding our advice in real organisational challenges, honest conversations and practical action.
What we believe

We believe organisations become stronger when people are clear on their roles, leaders act with purpose, and governance structures support sustainable growth.

When clarity replaces ambiguity and accountability is built into decision-making, organisations perform better and leaders lead with confidence.

Our approach to HR & Corporate Advisory

Our Story

SurgeAdvisory was shaped by decades of hands-on experience working inside boardrooms, leadership teams and HR functions, where organisational performance is ultimately determined by the quality of decisions made at the top.

Joseph F.X. Zahra built his career as a Maltese economist advising organisations on restructuring, governance reform, regulatory change and national-level economic initiatives. Across this work, one principle consistently held true: strong governance, accountability and role clarity are essential foundations for sustainable organisational performance.

Maria Bartolo Zahra came to this work through people and organisations. With over 20 years’ experience in HR consultancy and business advisory across various sectors, she supported leaders in designing organisations, supporting in day-to-day HR functions, building capable teams, managing transformation, and putting fair, defensible compensation and reward structures in place.

By 2017, both recognised the same gap: people, governance and compensation decisions were often made in isolation, disconnected from broader organisational and corporate strategy. This fragmentation created risk, inconsistency and avoidable complexity for leadership teams.

SurgeAdvisory was created to close that gap.

The firm brings together HR advisory, governance insight and corporate strategy to support leaders in making clear, structured and sustainable decisions, grounded in real organisational realities, not theory.

You can explore our full range of advisory services and areas of expertise across people, governance and performance.

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Founders of SurgeAdvisory, a Malta-based HR and corporate advisory firm

Our values

Our values guide how we advise, challenge and support leaders when decisions matter most.
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Integrity
Honest, evidence-based advice with long-term organisational health in mind.
Woman presenting clear data visualisations on a screen during a business meeting, representing organisational clarity and simplified decision-making at SurgeAdvisory Malta.
Clarity
We turn complex HR, governance, and compensation issues into clear decisions.
Professional consultant on a call outdoors in Malta, demonstrating expertise and client-focused service.
Professional Excellence
Decades of experience across HR, governance and reward consulting.
Two professionals having a clear, open conversation at a table, representing straightforward guidance and honest communication.
Straightforwardness
Direct, respectful guidance with no jargon, no sugar-coating.
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Agility
We move quickly and adapt to regulatory, organisational and market shifts.
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Partnership
We work alongside leaders to build internal capability, not dependency.

Sectors we support

We work across multiple sectors, supporting leaders with people, performance and governance decisions shaped by different operating models, regulatory pressures and growth challenges. This breadth allows us to bring informed judgement, cross-sector insight and practical solutions grounded in what actually works.
Modern financial services building representing HR consultancy, compensation advisory and governance support for banks and regulated firms in Malta.

01

Financial Services

Banks, insurers, investment firms and other regulated entities rely on our advisory support across governance, board effectiveness, remuneration structures and regulatory-aligned people and performance frameworks.
Professional HR advisory meeting between consultant and client, representing HR consultancy, leadership support and performance management for professional services firms.

02

Professional Services

Law firms, advisory practices and accounting firms work with us to refine role architecture, partner pathways, performance management frameworks and compensation design in complex, high-expectation environments.
Software developer reviewing code on screen in a tech workspace, representing HR consultancy, organisational design and compensation support for technology companies.

03

Technology & Digital

Scaling technology companies and digital businesses engage us on organisation design, leadership structures, reward strategy and people frameworks that support growth, pace and change.
Hospitality and tourism setting overlooking Valletta waterfront in Malta, representing HR consultancy support for hotels, restaurants and service organisations.

04

Hospitality & Tourism

Hotels, hospitality groups and service organisations partner with us to build fair, sustainable people structures and leadership frameworks suited to fast-moving, operationally intensive environments.
Worker operating industrial textile machinery in a manufacturing facility – Malta manufacturing and industry HR consulting

05

Manufacturing & Industry

We support manufacturing and industrial organisations navigating operational complexity, workforce planning, pay alignment and transformation across diverse roles and talent needs.
Worker handling deliveries and logistics operations for wholesale, retail and distribution – HR consulting and salaries in Malta.

06

Wholesale, retail and distribution

Advisory support on people structures, compensation models, operational role clarity and leadership alignment for high-volume, fast-paced commercial environments where scale and efficiency matter.
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07

Family Businesses

We work closely with family-owned organisations on governance design, leadership transitions, succession planning and the unique dynamics that shape continuity, accountability and legacy.
Shipping and aviation operations requiring strong governance, leadership structures and workforce alignment

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Shipping and aviation

Shipping companies, aviation operators and logistics organisations engage us on leadership structures, governance frameworks, compensation alignment and role clarity in highly regulated, safety-critical environments.