SITTING BY HELGA ELLUL’S ROOFTOP POOL ON A HOT SATURDAY MORNING OVER COFFEE, I AM KEEN TO GAIN SOME INSIGHT ABOUT HER 40+ YEARS OF LIVING IN MALTA.
Helga grew up in the Bavaria region in Germany, she recalls, ‘The Malta I came to in 1974 is totally unrecognizable now, I was a young girl in my early 20’s when I came to Malta on business expecting to spend one year here enjoying island life, BUT here I still am, over 40 years later.’ Helga was employed by the German toy manufacturer Horst Brandstätter who had set up a small outfit in Malta, it was a time when Germany boasted full employment making it necessary to branch to other countries for manufacture.
‘When I came to the island I knew a handful of the Maltese employees from their training time back in Germany, they extended kind invitations to their family homes, where their mamma’s used to adopt me as their own and look after me. It was a great insight to Maltese hospitality.’ Naturally as a young single woman she was looking to meet other likeminded young people. She explains, ‘It was a different era and I wasn’t the type to go out alone to bars etc. so I had to pause and think, sport! I joined the Marsa Sports Club and was soon introduced to my now husband, who was a superb tennis player.’ Helga’s job was to run the administration and manage the factory which was transitioning from a typical metal toy manufacturer to the creator of the innovative branded toy Playmobil.
‘It was the 70’s and the beginning of Playmobil in Malta, we were really no more than a bunch of youngsters with a good team spirit. Nowadays Malta has a lot more young companies and there are more opportunities. Malta’s young are my biggest hope and joy. The young are bringing about a wave of change, they want life work balance, they want more ethical behavior, they want families again, children… and a good quality of life.’
Helga has borne witness to decades of change on the island she calls her home, there are many more foreigners working here now. She recalls how in her early days here businessmen used to come to the factory and request a meeting, she would turn up in her pigtails and casual wear, and often they would state, ‘No I want to meet with the big German woman.’ She adds that she found the Maltese were more conservative and old-fashioned than had she expected, society was very much still under the British influence with formal events such as dinner dances, hence the approach was all very correct and orderly. This formality infiltrated the business world as well, making it very easy for her to integrate, as it was a similar style of work to what she was used to back in Germany. She maintains ‘There was and I believe there still is a sense of honour in doing business in Malta.’ Being a small island carries its peculiarities, Helga quickly learnt that in Malta the lines between business and home life are blurred, whereas in Germany or any other large country you can be private about your personal life, here you have to be more involved emotionally at work. News travels fast on an island and people are interested in other people’s lives. By integrating in Maltese society people get to know you and about you. Helga sees this predominantly as a positive aspect but it could also be perceived as a little bit negative because personal privacy is diminished.
Playmobil became Malta’s leading manufacturing employer with a staff of 1,200 at its peak, making it one of the largest private companies in Malta. On Playmobil’s success Helga says, ‘The people were always the most important aspect to me, the company is simply its people. I believe that with the right people at the right time you can create the right formula. Our story is testament to this, an amazing clever product designer came up with the idea of adding the human element into t
he toys, the Playmobil figures. At the same time we had just hired someone on the team who came from a branding background. Prior to having this member on the team we had no idea regarding brands, we were a manufacturer and sold on numbers. Our original Playmobil toys were very simple human-like figures, but what a hit they were with the children!’
As we sit by the rooftop pool our conversation takes many angles and we talk about facing challenges, defying perceptions, upholding values, and having high hopes. She firmly believes the younger generations would benefit to listen and learn from those who have trodden similar paths before them, there are lessons that can be learnt from those with experience. Thus she imparts her advice on being successful in business and life by acting as consultant and sitting on certain boards covering subjects close to her heart.
Her daily inspiration comes from the colours of our surroundings, the glistening yellows and soft blues, she expresses how she has always been amazed by the Malta’s lovely painters and musicians. ‘There is much more showcased nowadays than in the past, the art and culture movements are more established and the Maltese are becoming prouder of local talent.’ Helga truly enjoys the Mediterranean social life, but above all she likes the mentality, the values, and the openness of the people. ‘You get to be known and make friends easily — it’s a welcoming community and this is what I love.
Nowadays there is a lot going on in Malta especially in summer, all these activities are easily found on social media, there is more of a forum now. You can become a member of societies, NGO’s etc. such as Din L-Art Ħelwa (about preserving the history of the island), there are plenty of different options you just have to see which events interest you. Go out mingle make sure you get to mingle with the Maltese, it’s easy they will welcome you. I find if you come here and stick with your fellow countrymen only, you never become part of the island unless you make that effort to be part of Malta.’
