About the Company
Horizon Finance plc was incorporated on the 1st October 2018, and was set up to act as a financing and holding company. The Company is owned, in equal proportions between them, by Zircon Capital Ltd and Cornhill Capital Ltd with the respective ultimate beneficial owners being Drs Kevin Deguara and Jean C. Farrugia.
Meet the Board
Dr. Kevin Deguara
Executive director and Chairman
Dr. Deguara is a qualified lawyer and founder partner of DF Advocates. Dr. Kevin Deguara heads the Private Client Department within the firm. He specializes in international structuring for ultra-high net worth individuals, families, succession, asset protection structuring, citizenship and immigration issues. He has also considerable experience acting as a transactional lawyer specialising in real estate. He has over the last 17 years advised developers and landowners on a variety of residential, commercial, retail, leisure, educational and mixed use developments. He also occupies a number of posts as director on the boards of a number of companies involved in retail, manufacturing, real estate, corporate services and hospitality business.
Mr. Charles Scerri
Non executive independent
Charles Scerri is a Certified Public Accountant by profession (Fellow of the Institute of Accountants) with a long career in finance and management at senior executive positions. He has worked in various industry sectors including banking and finance, auditing, leisure and hospitality. In 1995 he set up his own accountancy and audit practice, Charles Scerri & Associates, with the firm currently employing more than 45 employees and being the exclusive representative of the International Association of Practising Accountants in Malta. Charles sits on the board of directors of Busy Bee Finance Plc and The Convenience Shop (Holding) Plc, both admitted on the Prospects MTF as well as the Board and Audit Committee of Shoreline Mall plc, listed on the main market.
Dr. Jean C. Farrugia
Non executive director
Dr. Farrugia is a qualified lawyer and founding partner of DF Advocates, a Malta-based lawfirm. Dr. Farrugia has advised and still acts on an ongoing basis for major local and international companies including banks, insurance companies, private equity firms, funds, investment advisors and fund/asset managers, in the setting up and licensing of their business as well as on their regulatory and compliance needs. He also advises on an ongoing basis various entities on corporate related issues, including corporate governance, shareholder rights, directors duties, instrument listing and dematerialisation, private placements, restructuring and M&A operations. Dr. Farrugia also acts as non executive director for a number of regulated entities operating in the financial services sector, including funds and fund management companies with a particular focus on the legal and regulatory aspects of the various operations carried out by such companies, corporate governance, regulatory compliance and AML occasionally accepting appointments also as company secretary, MLRO and Compliance Officer thereby acting as liaison between such licensed entities and the regulator (the Malta Financial Services Authority)
Kenneth Deguara
Non executive director
Kenneth Deguara started his career working for an international ship management company between 1999 and 2006. Occupying the position of accounts manager he was responsible for management accounting, tax compilations and the financial administration of the company. In this position Kenneth became responsible for refit funding management, operational budgets, crew financial management and creditor control.
In 2006 Kenneth joined the DF Group (a group of companies operating in the provision of legal and corporate services) occupying the position of Chief Financial Officer. In this position he has and continues to head the finance department of the DF Group.
Mr. Ryan Otto
Non executive director
Ryan Otto, a South African entrepreneur, attended Rand Afrikaans University where he completed a Bachelor of Commerce in Accounting and, thereafter, he achieved a Higher Diploma in Taxation, in terms of the Taxation laws of South Africa. Mr. Otto co-founded Megatron Engineering (Pty) Ltd which he successfully grew into a Pan-African infrastructure group and then sold to a public company.
Throughout the years Mr. Otto expanded and diversified his investment portfolio by investing in various transactions across multiple industries. Amongst his investments is Maxidor SA, a manufacturer of security barriers located in South Africa, and Molopo (Pty) Ltd, an energy company operating in the natural gas business, which was recently acquired by a public company, Renergen Limited.