Extract of Interview with Leslie Cassar (Sunday Circle - June 2010)
Leslie Cassar is one of the leading figures in Australia’s travel and tourism industry. He has travelled the world, built a world servicing aviation company from scratch and been decorated by both Maltese and Australian governments. In fact, in a career which spans 40 years he has occupied various prestigious posts, including Chairman of Tourism and Transport Forum (TTF) Australia and chairman of the Board of Tourism of New South Wales.
Mr Cassar set up World Aviation Group in 1980 after he proposed to Air Malta to manage their representation in Australia and Asia in order to promote the national airline in these markets. Mr Cassar later established Centrecom and BPO Services in Malta after realising the country’s potential particularly since joining the European Union in 2004.
The economies of scale have changed dramatically as Malta is now linked to a market of 500 million people offering opportunities in IT, BPO and financial services. The adoption of the euro as the national currency in 2008, a highly productive English-speaking workforce, a European time zone and a competitive incentives package, make Malta an ideal trading and investment partner for Australian companies.
In 1997 Mr Cassar was decorated by the Australian government for his services to the Australian travel industry and for furthering Australia/Malta relations. He was also the founding President of the Australian-Maltese Chamber of Commerce and was invested as a Knight of the Order of St John of Jerusalem in 1989.
In December 2006, the Malta Government awarded Mr Cassar the prestigious National Award of Merit. He also was the proud Maltese Olympic Team Attaché at the 2000 Olympic Games in Sydney and 2008 Olympic Games in Beijing.