Mr Tonio Fenech has been appointed Minister of Finance, Economy and Investment of the Republic of Malta as from March 2008, taking over this portfolio from Mr Lawrence Gonzi, who remains Prime Minister and who had previously combined the two portfolios of Prime Minister and Minister of Finance. Mr Fenech thus also becomes EIB Governor for the Republic of Malta.

Born in 1969, Mr Fenech graduated in Management and Accountancy from the University of Malta, and is a Fellow of the Institute of Accountants. He joined Price WaterhouseCoopers in 1993, starting on the audit side of the business and subsequently moving to the firm’s management consultancy practice.

Mr Fenech commenced his political career in March 1997 with the Nationalist Party, when he successfully contested the Birkirkara Local Council Election, Malta’s largest locality. In 1998, he was elected Mayor of Birkirkara, a post he held until April 2003, when he was elected Member of Parliament for the 8th District. He was subsequently also appointed as Observer to the European Parliament between May 2003 and March 2004. In March 2004, Mr Fenech was appointed Parliamentary Secretary in the Ministry of Finance.