Leading by example: The people and culture behind Alkagesta’s success

Alkagesta’s consistent and stable growth in commodity trading is not just a story of savvy deals and strategic assets. It is, at its heart, a story about people. Behind the company’s multi-billion-dollar revenues and international operations is a tightly knit team in Malta and around the world, driven by a set of core values that define the Alkagesta way.

As CEO Orkhan Rustamov puts it, “our success is ultimately driven by our people. Their ability to navigate complexity, uphold our values, and stay focused on long-term goals gives Alkagesta its competitive edge.” Alkagesta has been deliberate in crafting a corporate culture that empowers its employees, fosters unity, and aligns with the company’s ambitious vision.

From day one, Alkagesta set out to build a culture that would stand out in the trading industry. The company’s core values of unity, ownership, entrepreneurial zeal and continuous learning and development, are more than words on a mission statement, they are daily touchstones for how employees work and interact.

Unity. Collaboration and mutual support form the bedrock of Alkagesta’s ethos. Team members describe the workplace as a family, where ‘unity extends to respect,’ and open communication is encouraged even in challenging moments. This sense of togetherness means that wins are celebrated collectively, and setbacks are faced hand-in-hand.

Ownership. Every employee at Alkagesta is empowered to act as an owner of the business. This doesn’t just mean taking responsibility, it means having the freedom to make decisions and the duty to follow through. The leadership instils a ‘do or do mindset (there is no ‘try’) in which each team member is seen as ‘a locomotive of the business that must drive performance to achieve results.’ Taking ownership also implies accountability.

Entrepreneurial zeal. Walk into Alkagesta’s offices and you’ll sense an entrepreneurial buzz in the air. The company prizes curiosity, creativity, and the courage to challenge the status quo. ‘We are innovative in business. We are keen to bring new ideas and challenge accepted norms,’ states Alkagesta’s credo on entrepreneurial zeal.

Continuous learning and development. At Alkagesta, learning is seen as a journey rather than a destination. The company fosters a culture where curiosity is encouraged, and professional growth is built into everyday work. Employees are given opportunities to sharpen their skills through world-class training partnerships with institutions like Harvard and MIT, alongside internal mentorship programmes that pair seasoned professionals with rising talent.

New hires learn about unity, ownership, and entrepreneurial zeal from day one, and veteran team members embody these principles as mentors. The values also complement each other. For example, an entrepreneurial idea gains traction because colleagues unite to refine it, and someone takes ownership to drive it forward. The interplay of these cultural pillars has created a strong, cohesive identity at Alkagesta that employees rally around.

Alkagesta recognises that nurturing its people is an investment in the company’s future. One of the standout features of its culture is a heavy emphasis on continuous learning and professional development. This goes well beyond typical on-the-job training. Alkagesta has forged partnerships with world-class educational institutions to enhance its team’s skills, including programmes with Harvard and MIT that give employees access to cutting-edge knowledge and leadership training.

Through these collaborations, as well as industry-specific trainings like Onyx and ICE for trading professionals, staff can refine their expertise and bring back fresh ideas to the company. It’s not every day that a Maltese company sends its people to learn from the globe’s top universities – and it’s a point of pride within Alkagesta that the firm commits resources to such elite development opportunities.

Internal development is just as robust. In 2024, Alkagesta’s leadership rolled out advanced training programmes and launched leadership development tracks to groom the next generation of managers. The focus has been on both hard and soft skills. Junior traders, for instance, might undergo rigorous financial and risk management training, while future team leaders attend workshops on inclusive leadership and effective communication.

The company also emphasises mentorship, pairing experienced hands with newer employees to ensure knowledge transfer in a personal, hands-on way. By fostering a culture of mutual respect, continuous learning, and cross-functional collaboration, Alkagesta is building an organisation that is agile, empowered, and future-ready. For employees, this means clear pathways to grow within the company rather than seeking opportunities elsewhere.

While Alkagesta’s workforce is drawn from many corners of the globe, Malta remains the nerve centre where the company’s most important decisions are made. Strategic calls on risk, financing, and global trading flows converge in Sliema, where the headquarters leads activity across 17 global offices and representations. It is here that board meetings are convened, compliance frameworks are overseen, and cross-regional strategies are aligned. For Malta, this is significant. The island may not supply the bulk of Alkagesta’s staff, but it plays host to the expertise and decision-making that guide billions of dollars in commodity flows each year.

This positioning has turned Malta into more than just a logistics stopover, it has become a knowledge hub where international professionals bring their skills, share insights, and coordinate with colleagues around the world.

The clustering of these functions on Maltese soil means the country benefits not only from tax revenue and infrastructure investment, but also from reputational capital. Malta is seen as a place where high-level commodity finance and governance can be effectively managed. For the local business community, Alkagesta’s presence demonstrates how a small island economy can punch above its weight by serving as a headquarters location for complex, globally integrated enterprises.

For those who join Alkagesta, the company’s approach to professional growth is highly motivating. Career progression is based on merit and initiative. It’s not unusual to see a driven analyst rise to a senior trading role within a few years. The flat hierarchy means even junior staff have opportunities to present ideas to executives or contribute to major projects.

The company also celebrates educational achievements. When an employee completes a difficult certification or an executive course, the success is recognised in internal communications, reinforcing that learning is part of the company DNA.

This virtuous cycle of development has yielded a team that is both loyal and forward-thinking. As one might expect, Alkagesta’s retention rates are strong, and the company is increasingly seen as an employer of choice in Malta’s finance sector, particularly for those who want an international scope to their work.

Culture at Alkagesta is very much shaped and supported by its leadership style. The tone from the top is one of approachability and high expectations in equal measure. Executives maintain an open-door policy, quite literally, as CEO Orkhan Rustamov often walks the trading floor in the Malta office to chat with team members.

This approachable leadership fosters trust and makes employees feel their voices are heard. At the same time, leaders are clear about the high standards Alkagesta upholds. This balance of empowerment and accountability has been crucial in keeping a fast-growing organisation on track. It ensures that even as headcount expands to over 150 employees globally, the core ethos does not dilute.

Innovation is encouraged not just as a buzzword, but as a daily practice. Teams are urged to stay curious and externally aware, whether that means keeping up with the latest fintech tools for trade finance or understanding new sustainability standards affecting the commodities trade.

Alkagesta’s management frequently pilots new ideas. For example, an in-house innovation challenge was instituted where cross-functional teams propose efficiency improvements or new business opportunities, with winners getting resources to implement their ideas. Some of these bottom-up innovations have led to real changes, such as streamlining digital workflows and even exploring new trading products.

By tapping the collective creativity of its people, Alkagesta stays nimble and avoids complacency. It’s a start-up mentality, intentionally preserved even as the company matures.

Crucially, ethical leadership and ESG values are woven into the culture, reflecting a shared purpose beyond profit. Employees are keenly aware that the company holds itself to high standards of integrity. Regular training sessions on ethics, compliance, and even unconscious bias ensure that people at all levels internalise the importance of doing business the right way.

Alkagesta’s values of unity and ownership play a role here too. Staff understand that protecting the company’s reputation is everyone’s responsibility. The company’s ESG and Compliance Committee, led by senior executives, isn’t a distant boardroom formality. Its mandates, such as anonymous reporting channels or community engagement targets, are communicated clearly to all employees, so they feel part of these initiatives. This has cultivated a culture where doing things ethically is a point of pride.

“We choose to act responsibly. We choose honesty in any environment and keep our promises,” reads one internal ethics credo, capturing how the team approaches decision-making.

Social and environmental consciousness further enrich the company culture. Alkagesta’s staff participate in community outreach such as volunteering for local environmental clean-ups or mentoring students interested in finance. The company has also supported local arts and cultural initiatives as part of giving back to the community.