Would Malta’s CEOs prefer to change the past or foresee the future?

What if you were presented with the chance to undo your mistakes or gain insight into what the future holds, which would you pick?

Time travel is a phenomenon that has fascinated people for centuries, as it offers a wide array of possibilities that are unimaginable in today’s world. These range from experiencing past interactions with family members that have unfortunately passed away, to knowing what future technological innovations will be created.

As part of a series of quick-fire questions that were first published in MaltaCEOs 2023’s print edition, a number of Malta’s most prominent CEOs and business leaders were quizzed on whether they would go back in time or jump ahead into the future, if time travel was actually possible.

20 of the 50 business leaders questioned explained their desire to travel back in time, with many wanting to right any wrongs that they might have done in the past, or to enjoy some of history’s most notable moments.

BELS English Language Schools Owner and CEO Rebecca Bonnici remarked that she would go back to the Women’s Suffrage Movement back in the 1920s. “I would have loved to be there when women actually started to try to break the glass ceiling,” she added.

Healthcare Logistics Ltd CEO Arthur Gerada also stated that he would travel back in time, particularly to Ancient Egypt, as he is “intrigued” by Egyptology, particularly the ancient civilisation’s “exceptional mathematical and engineering skills”.

On the other hand, 19 other business leaders are more intrigued by the future, with many stating that they want to look ahead and not tamper with the past.

BDO Malta CEO Mark Attard and LifeStar Insurance plc CEO and Director Cristina Casingena both said that it would be helpful and also fuel their curiosity to know what will happen in the future.

People & Skin CEO Joanna Delia explained that she would choose to travel into the future to “check out what had gone wrong and return to fix them”.

Others such as IHI plc CEO Simon Naudi and BOV plc CEO Kenneth Farrugia voiced their delight at the prospect of technological developments, with the former stating that “technology continues to make the world better every day”.

Etienne Sciberras, CEO of MAPFRE MSV Life, said: “To about 70 years in the future to see what kind of legacy we are leaving to future generations, especially when it comes to climate change.”

Additionally, the remaining 11 leaders questioned opted to either remain in the present, or were uncertain about whether to go for the past or the future.

Malta Digital Innovation Authority CEO Kenneth Brincat was of such thinking, saying: “What’s done is done, and not knowing the future provides motivation.”

“I am very forward-thinking, but egoistically speaking I do look back with nostalgia and wish I was around when low-hanging fruit was still available so that I could apply today’s business strategies,” Nectar Ltd CEO Roderick Abela said.