Debono Group CEO pays tribute to family as company celebrates six decades of partnership with Toyota

On the day that Debono Group celebrated over 60 years of partnership with Japanese car maker Toyota, CEO Geoffrey Debono paid tribute to his close family members who were crucial to the establishment of the company.

This came during an event held at the Michael Debono Limited showroom in Żebbuġ on 19th April, which was also attended by Prime Minister Robert Abela, Toyota Motor Europe CEO Yoshihiro Nakata, and Toyota GB President and Managing Director Scott Thompson, who all joined Debono Group to honour the company’s legacy and ushering in the decades to come.

The alliance between the group and Toyota owes its beginning to the late Michael Debono, who in 1960 imported and sold a Toyota Crown, the first ever Toyota vehicle to be sold in Europe.

Commenting on the family legacy, Mr [Geoffrey] Debono stated: “In paying tribute to my late father and grandfather, as well as to my mother who made the transition to the current generation possible, I would like to underscore the values of hard work, dedication, and of driving positive change.”

He said that these are the principles that contributed to Debono Group’s legacy, and continue to inspire it today, while also guiding its future.

Mr Debono also spoke about the successful partnership with Toyota, adding that it was recently named the best-selling automotive brand in Malta for the sixth year running.

“The success of both Debono Group and Toyota is built on the foundation of Toyota’s core values – continuous improvement, utmost quality, and the spirit of positive change through innovative solutions, such as its self-charging hybrid models, unique warranty and flexible payment offerings. Toyota’s long-term thinking and deep social responsibility have not only led to short-term success, but have paved the way for long-lasting solutions that benefit the company, the environment, and society,” he added.

In order to honour the longstanding relationship between Toyota and Debono Group, Mr Thompson presented Mr Debono with a commemorative plaque in recognition of the group’s 60 years of service to the Toyota franchise. Commemorative mementos were also presented to the guests of honour by Director Therese Debono.

The event to celebrate the anniversary was a fusion of Maltese and Japanese cultures, honouring the traditions of both countries in the set up and the culinary delicacies served to those present. Additionally, there was the iconic first Toyota Crown that was imported to Malta, providing a connection between the past and Debono Group’s vision for the future.

In addition to this, a few weeks ago, Toyota Malta announced Paralympics athlete Maja Theuma as its newest ambassador. She is a para swimmer who is currently training to compete at the 2024 Paralympics in Paris this summer.