Our Team
Mr. Alfonso Antequera - Surgeon
Mr. Antequera is Consultant Surgeon at St Bernard's Hospital, located in Gibraltar. He is a leading expert in laparoscopic and endoscopic treatment for Obesity one of the health global burdens nowadays. He offers alternative weight loss solutions such as, gastric balloons, gastric bypass, gastric sleeve, gastric band/lap-band, bariatric surgery and gastric band adjustments.
Mr. Antequera was associate professor of surgery at the European University of Madrid and a Honorary professor of surgery at Rey Juan Carlos University and Trinity College of Dublin. He is currently a Fellow of the American College of Surgeons and a Fellow of the Royal College of Surgeons in Ireland.
Mr. Antequera successfully earned his PhD in 2004. His research focused predominantly on Obesity & Weight Loss surgery. He belongs to the faculty programe of Massachusetts Institute of Technology in Madrid called M+Vision. He also has strong interest in Humanitarian Surgery and is the President of “El Compromiso Foundation” to try to bring surgical care to the poorest countries in Africa.
Maria Ioannides - Patient Consultant
Maria has over 15 years of experience in healthcare where she has successfully completed a variety of health projects in key NHS hospital across the UK. She has an extensive experience and knowledge in various specialties especially in the area of Oncology, Rheumatoid arthritis, Diabetes, Dermatology, Ophthalmology, Gastroenterology Bariatrics, Aesthetics and Plastic Surgery. She is passionate and dedicated in delivering excellent services and care in the outcome of her projects always paying attention in acting in the best interest of patients.
She also brings an immense amount of industry insight and expertise in developing and setting up multi specialty clinics due to her previous successful exposure where she had set up 12 new clinics in the UK and Ireland. In 2006 Maria achieved a major milestone by starting her company Opsis Medical Aesthetic Consultants, offering a continuous consultancy and development service to new and existing clinics.
Maria has also worked in well-known cosmetic clinics at Harley street-London and throughout her profound exposure and experience she will be in the advocate position to advice you on the latest trends of treatment.
Melanie Mcleod - Dietitian
Melanie has been practising as a registered dietitian for almost 25 years. Following her early studies at university, she remained in the UK to practise at Leeds General Infirmary for a short period of time before returning to Gibraltar to work for the Gibraltar Health Authority. She worked single-handed for 5 years, after which her department has grown to a staff of 5 dietitians.
Throughout her career, Melanie has worked in various fields of Nutrition & Dietetics. She completed her Master’s thesis on research she carried out on the prevalence of obesity in children in Gibraltar (1998). She has vast experience in clinical nutrition, especially critical care nutrition, as well as other areas including diabetes, obesity, lipid lowering, gastroenterology, sports nutrition and health promotion.
Over the past several years Melanie has worked closely with patients undergoing bariatric surgery, forming part of the multidisciplinary team in the GHA. During this time, she has developed a wealth of knowledge and experience in relation to patients undergoing this type of surgery.
Qualifications
BSc (Hons) Biochemistry
PG Dip Dietetics
MSC Nutrition & Dietetics
MA Enterprise Management (distinction)
Marteka Swaby - Psychologist
For the last 15 years, Marteka has worked with passion and purpose to improve health and emotional wellbeing across individuals, teams and organisations. She is the author of 'The First 3 Steps to Positive Thinking' improving relationships, reducing stress and increasing happiness. Marteka also writes regular blogs to provide encouragement and improve emotional wellbeing.
Marteka has up to date clinical knowledge and experience, as a practicing psychotherapist, working for the last 7 years in the UK’s largest Foundation Trust. She has a Masters in Psychodynamic Counselling & Psychotherapy from Birkbeck University, a world-class teaching institute of academic excellence. Marteka is a member of the Birkbeck Counselling Association, a member of the BACP for Counselling & Coaching and holds BPC registration as a psychodynamic counsellor.
She is now bringing her expertise in mental health to bariatrics to help individuals to achieve their weight loss goals, increase body image and self-confidence to ensure sustained results.
Sonjia Mostert - Dietitian
Sonja is a qualified dietitian with over 23 years of experience in the field of clinical nutrition, management, sports nutrition and private practise. Sonja qualified with a Bachelor degree in Dietetics from the University of Pretoria (South Africa). She has extensive experience as a Clinical Dietitian in hospitals both in South Africa and Saudi Arabia where she treated patients in all the clinical areas of the hospital. In Saudi Arabia she gained the experience in bariatric surgery. Furthermore she worked at the University of Pretoria as sports dietitian for 4 years.
For the past 7 years she is running a private practice in Cape Town, South Africa.
Sonja has a passion to teach and encourage patients to change their lifestyle to reverse sickness and disease states in order to live a full happy and productive life. She loves giving patients practical help and to individualise their diet treatment.
Raul Mesa - Personal Trainer
Raul Mesa is a personal trainer with a degree in physical education from the University of Granada, Spain.
From the age of 18 he was a professional triathlete representing two of the most important brands worldwide such as Orbea and BH. For 10 years he toured all over Europe competing and expanding his knowledge as a personal trainer and nutritionist.
In recent years he has specialized in training for weight loss aid. He has been residing in Gibraltar for 2 years and has a wide portfolio of clients that every day achieve their objectives.