Behind the Wheel : David Gasan talks about the company is 80 year history.

Gasan has grown to be a local powerhouse in the automotive field. How did it all begin?
“The automotive side of the business began in 1928 when my grandfather was appointed sole concessionaire for Malta for the Ford Motor Company, after meeting Henry Ford in London. My grandfather already had a successful shipping business, which he had begun after World War One by salvaging a ship that had sunk in the Grand Harbour. At first everyone was sceptical of the success of his venture as the ship he used required extensive repairs, but the business not only expanded, but thrived. Soon several ships were being used and were also responsible for carrying mail,” Mr Gasan says proudly.
It is this entrepreneurial spirit that was to characterise the early stages of the Gasan business. Not only did David’s grandfather see the opportunity in a wreck, but he also saw the future potential of motor transport and was quick to get involved from the very beginning. And it is this eye for opportunities, as well as the will to capitalise upon them, that sets apart the truly successful businessmen.
“In the late 1920s cars therefore came to Malta, although this arm of the business initially was a small component of Gasan’s business as the motor car was still a new concept. Initially, we had a two car showroom in Republic Street, Valletta and then moved to a garage in Gzira where we remained until 2001 when we moved to our new premises in Mriehel. The old site has since been sold,” Mr Gasan explains.
But as business settled down and grew steadily another war reared its ugly head and in 1939 the globe became embroiled in a second conflict - World War Two. Malta suffered terribly under relentless bombing by the Axis forces.
“During that time my grandfather actually had his office bombed. In addition, his shipping and motor business effectively came to a halt due to the hostilities. However, recognising additional opportunities, he managed to win a contract with the British military for the repairing of all their equipment,” Mr Gasan mentions.
But once the war ended in 1945, business went back to normal.
“After the war the shipping and car business went through something of a boom,” Mr Gasan explains. “Although after World War Two we were still only importing Ford, we also expanded into a bus building operation and ran our own bus routes - a business my grandfather had in fact started in 1934. However, my grandfather eventually shut down this arm of the business and sold out in the mid-fifties.”
Bt the Gasan Group also has a huge amount of property located around Malta and Gozo How did this come about?
“My grandfather was never very trusting of banks and preferred to invest his profits into property – always looking for prime sites. Therefore, every time he had liquid cash available he simply bought up real estate. That has proven to be an extremely wise investment and the group has profited immensely from his foresight,” Mr Gasan replies.
The group now represents several major car manufacturers. How did this change come about and what caused it?

This was something that my grandfather was very much against as he was worried that we could lose the Ford franchise as a result. However, this was not the case and my father’s vision enabled us to remain competitive in this market. He followed this up with the acquisition of Volvo in 1985, having also obtained the Yamaha brand in the same year as Mazda,” Mr Gasan answers.
But Europe has been a volatile place since the late 1980s and the car business has gone through some upheavals abroad. How has that affected business?
As soon as Malta joined the EU we stopped importing Marutis as these cars did not match the required European standards. Previously, we had also stopped importing Yugos due to the war in Yugoslavia. However, on a positive note, we obtained Jaguar some years after Ford had bought Jaguar,” Mr Gasan replies.
Now managing director, David Gasan has also inherited the family eye for opportunities having started a new line termed ‘Gasan Approved’. This range of vehicles is comprised of second-hand vehicles that meet specific criteria such as: a rigorous inspection, being less than five years old or no more than 60,000 kilometres on the clock.
“Second hand cars have always had something of a negative image when it comes to trust and this was something I wanted to address. The ‘Gasan Approved’ label is a guarantee that the vehicles being purchased from us are high quality and reliable. We have found that this concept has been very well received by the public and has also assisted us due to the downturn that has been experienced in vehicle sales. By keeping to strict criteria on the second hand cars we sell, we have enabled to enter this market while still maintaining the quality that our name represents,” he states.
And what of the future? Now that he is in the driving seat, where is he taking the organisation?
“We have expanded our operations by setting up a motor business in Libya, in partnership with a Libyan firm. North Africa is a huge market and one that is very close to Malta, so we are keen to exploit its potential,” Mr Gasan says.
And how does Mr Gasan, with the benefit of three generations of business leaders behind him, view the current business climate?
“During our company’s history we have experimented with a lot of different concepts and business models. Some things worked very well and some simply didn’t. However, we now know what industries we like to be in and intend to expand in those.
“Malta’s automotive business is proving rather difficult and we have restructured to meet these demands, streamlining our operation in the process. Our group is now very focused and our business model is constantly being challenged to find new ways of doing things,” Mr Gasan concludes.
Gasan Group of Companies has shown that, during its long history, it has never been afraid to try something new and that it is always quick to adapt and respond to market changes. As each successive generation builds on the successes of the past, while bringing fresh and new ideas into the corporate environment, it is set to continue to be a driving force on the local scene.