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Azimut-Benetti, the World’s Largest Yacht Builder, Introduces a New CEO—and 9 New Boats

The azimut benetti group named marco valle as its new ceo. valle will be tasked with overseeing an aggressive launch schedule of nine yachts with very different styles., michael verdon, michael verdon's most recent stories, this new 72-foot yacht’s new hybrid propulsion system is the first of its kind.

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The Azimut- Benetti Group has named Marco Valle as its new chief executive officer. Valle, a 25-year veteran who was named CEO of Azimut Yachts in 2016, will now be chief executive of a joined Italian company that is uniting both brands for the first time. Azimut is considered one of the most respected production and semi-custom boat builders, while Benetti is the world’s largest builder of superyachts (by number of units), with a new gigayacht division with yachts over 330 feet.

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Valle said in a press conference in Portofino, Italy, on Friday that he plans to “keep the two identities of the brands totally separate,” while also sharing the best practices of both groups. He said the company plans to increase its model numbers from 30 to 35, while also introducing nine new yachts over the next 18 months. “Since the beginning of the year, we’ve delivered 56 units and reasserted our dominance in yachts over 79 feet,” Valle added. “We’re also adding a new category of yacht that will be a trendsetter in the yachting world.”

Despite the complications of Covid-19 on production and distribution, Valle said the company saw its annual revenues increase from the start of the year, as demand soared for new boats.

Marco Valle, a 25-year Azimut veteran, will now be in charge of both the Azimut and Benetti super yacht brands.  Azimut Yachts

In introducing most of its new models, the company also brought on stage a number of the different yacht designers it has worked with over the past decade, including Alberto Mancini, Ken Freivokh, Giorgio M. Cassetta, Enrico Bonetti, and Adrian Chisnell of RWD. The varied styles of these designers show the diversity of the different lines in the two brands.

Azimut’s new flagship model, called the Trideck was designed by Achille Salvagni and Alberto Mancini, and will debut in January. Azimut’s Flybridge 53, also designed too by Mancini, is likewise scheduled to make its debut. Mancini said that the Trideck will employ concepts of minimalism, taking its cues from the automotive industry. “It’s difficult to do because this type of yacht is not necessarily elegant, but we kept it as clean and linear as possible,” Mancini said during the press conference. “At the same time, you won’t believe how much space is available inside.”

The Magellano 25 Metri, which was shown for the first time at Azimut-Benetti’s press conference last week, is a new style of explorer yacht. The brand plans to add two more Magellano models in the next 18 months.  Azimut Yachts

Azimut also announced a new Magellano 30 Meter yacht as well as an upcoming Magellano 66 for 2021. For the US market, the brand will introduce a new Verve 42.

Benetti showed off its first Oasis 40 M in Portofino. The company said that 10 units have already been sold. Another Oasis will be added to that category. Benetti said it was adding another category called Motopanfilo , “which promises to restore to the fullest all the charm of the classic watercraft models that made the brand famous in the 1960s,” said Valle. The company also said a new 121-footer in its B.Yond category will be launched next September.

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By SuperyachtNews 26 May 2020

Marco Valle to become Azimut Benetti's Group CEO from 1 September

After heading the group's azimut division for a number of years, valle will take charge of the group's benetti division as well….

The Vitelli family and the Azimut Benetti board of directors have announced that on 1 September 2020, Franco Fusignani, 75, will hand over responsibility of the group’s Benetti Division to Marco Valle, who remains in charge of the Azimut Division. Valle will take on the role of Group CEO with responsibility for both of the aforementioned divisions as a means encouraging integrated business management.

“Marco Valle, who joined the company 25 years ago, has the full support of the Vitelli family and the Group’s Board of Directors in this new challenge, which he will no doubt rise to with the same spirit of success that has been a distinctive feature of his work, first as Azimut Yachts sales director and for the last four years as CEO of the Azimut division,” comments Paolo Vitelli, Azimut Benetti Group Chairman. “We would like to thank Franco for the great work he has done and continues to do in Benetti, and for his continued future presence in the Group. This continuity is thought to be important to tackle the new challenges of an evolving market and generational change in the current management team.”

According to Azimut Benetti, this decision will encourage “an organic and unified approach to business management, benefitting effectiveness, rapid response and efficiency.” The group intends to preserve the unique identities of the two yachting brands. Fusignani will continue to sit on the board of Azimut Benetti after 1 September, further lending his 50 years of experience to the Azimut Benetti cause.

According to The Superyacht Agency, over the course of the last decade Benetti delivered an average of 10.5 superyacht projects per year, peaking in 2015 will 13 deliveries. However, with 15 deliveries scheduled for 2020, Benetti was due for its most prolific year to date. That being said, with impact of COVID-19 in Italy leading to shipyard closures, it is likely that Benetti will fall short of it’s 15 schedule deliveries. Nevertheless, it is hoped that the Italian superyacht building stalwart’s delivery schedules have not been too dramatically altered.

Since 2010, the average LOA of Benetti’s deliveries has fluctuated between 40.7-48.1m for a given year. However, 2020 may be the first year that Benetti’s average LOA creeps above 50m, with the projected deliveries expected to average out at 50.7m. While Benetti is largely known for being a production builder, its growing average LOA figures lend credence to the notion that Benetti is now a far more diverse shipyard than it is always given credit for being.

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Azimut-Benetti, the World’s Largest Yacht Builder, Introduces a New CEO—and 9 New Boats

The Azimut- Benetti Group has named Marco Valle as its new chief executive officer. Valle, a 25-year veteran who was named CEO of Azimut Yachts in 2016, will now be chief executive of a joined Italian company that is uniting both brands for the first time. Azimut is considered one of the most respected production and semi-custom boat builders, while Benetti is the world’s largest builder of superyachts (by number of units), with a new gigayacht division with yachts over 330 feet.

Valle said in a press conference in Portofino, Italy, on Friday that he plans to “keep the two identities of the brands totally separate,” while also sharing the best practices of both groups. He said the company plans to increase its model numbers from 30 to 35, while also introducing nine new yachts over the next 18 months. “Since the beginning of the year, we’ve delivered 56 units and reasserted our dominance in yachts over 79 feet,” Valle added. “We’re also adding a new category of yacht that will be a trendsetter in the yachting world.”

Despite the complications of Covid-19 on production and distribution, Valle said the company saw its annual revenues increase from the start of the year, as demand soared for new boats.

In introducing most of its new models, the company also brought on stage a number of the different yacht designers it has worked with over the past decade, including Alberto Mancini, Ken Freivokh, Giorgio M. Cassetta, Enrico Bonetti, and Adrian Chisnell of RWD. The varied styles of these designers show the diversity of the different lines in the two brands.

Azimut’s new flagship model, called the Trideck was designed by Achille Salvagni and Alberto Mancini, and will debut in January. Azimut’s Flybridge 53, also designed too by Mancini, is likewise scheduled to make its debut. Mancini said that the Trideck will employ concepts of minimalism, taking its cues from the automotive industry. “It’s difficult to do because this type of yacht is not necessarily elegant, but we kept it as clean and linear as possible,” Mancini said during the press conference. “At the same time, you won’t believe how much space is available inside.”

Azimut also announced a new Magellano 30 Meter yacht as well as an upcoming Magellano 66 for 2021. For the US market, the brand will introduce a new Verve 42.

Benetti showed off its first Oasis 40 M in Portofino. The company said that 10 units have already been sold. Another Oasis will be added to that category. Benetti said it was adding another category called Motopanfilo , “which promises to restore to the fullest all the charm of the classic watercraft models that made the brand famous in the 1960s,” said Valle. The company also said a new 121-footer in its B.Yond category will be launched next September.

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Home | About us

Azimut|Benetti is the first global leading private Group in the yachting sector. Thanks to continuous innovation and experimentation, it has been the world’s leading manufacturer of megayachts* and the shipyard with the widest range of models on the market for 24 years.

*global order book, boat international.

The Group was born from the passion for the sea, the intuition, the commitment and the courage of Paolo Vitelli, founder of Azimut, a company that produces the widest range of yachts in the world. Then, in 1985, Vitelli takes over the shipyard “Fratelli Benetti” of Viareggio, historic signature of megayachts favored by the international jet set. Thus begins an extraordinary adventure that brings the nautical made in Italy to the world leaders. In the 2000s, shipbuilding was joined by a dense network of exclusive services. In fact, with the birth, in 2008, of Yachtique, design and furniture boutique, and the entry, in 2010, of Lusben, the group completes its offer, including refit & repair. Over the years, a prestigious network of marinas has also been developed, an oasis of pleasure and well-being with customer service points.

Lorenzo Benetti founds the Benetti Shipyard in Viareggio.

Benetti launches “Gabbiano” 22M, charming the international jet set thanks to owners such as Prince Rainier III of Monaco and Grace Kelly.

University student Paolo Vitelli founds Azimut Srl, a sailboat charter business. Over time, an increasing number of nautical brands trust the company to distribute their boats in Italy.

The innovative AZ 43′ Bali is born, the first model in the AZ range in fiberglass.

AZ32 Targa is born, the first and only avant-garde cruiser of its kind on the market. The “Targa of the sea” immediately attracted the attention of new owners with different needs, becoming a real must for sea lovers

Benetti launches the iconic “Nabila”, the largest 86-metre Gigayacht of the time. Given her extraordinary beauty, Nabila appears in the James Bond film with Sean Connery, “Never Say Never Again”

Azimut launches “Falaika” 30M, the largest fiberglass yacht ever built delivered in just 100 days. She was favored by some of the most expert shipowners of the time, such as Christina Onassis, who ordered her to celebrate the baptism of her daughter.

The founder of Azimut Yachts, Paolo Vitelli, acquires Benetti. An event that marks the beginning of a new era for the prestigious Italian shipyard. Azimut | Benetti Group will become the first and largest private group of yachts and megayachts in the world.

Azimut participates in the transatlantic crossing with the Atlantic Challenger; yacht designed in collaboration with Pininfarina. Cesare Fiorio is the brilliant skipper and Winthrop Rockefeller one of the passengers on board.

Benetti introduces the Classic, Vision and Tradition lines, the first luxury pocket yachts. More than 100 units sold.

Benetti promotes the avant-garde in the yachting industry with M/Y REVERIE 70M. The Shipyard confirms its leadership among shipbuilders capable of executing very complex orders.

Azimut introduces Magellano 74, the first crossover yacht ever built.

For the first time in history, a yacht drops anchor in Times Square. A truly unexpected show, Azimut S6 becomes the absolute protagonist of the New York design festival 2019.

Benetti presents Oasis Deck™. An unprecedented concept of yacht design, developed by the shipyard with the British studio RWD. A huge success and an iconic element developed in the future on models such as the Oasis 34M and the B.Now Family.

The mission

For over 50 years, passion, quality and attention to detail have been the values that distinguish the Azimut|Benetti Group brands. From production to service, through hospitality. Every day, these values are shared with customers, suppliers, employees and collaborators. Only in this way is the quest for excellence and uniqueness possible. The continuous investments in the human factor, technology and research, together with the development of an ethical, social and environmental responsibility distinguish Azimut|Benetti in the international panorama. And they make it the undisputed protagonist of boating, Italian enterprise and global change.

“Looking back, no one can say that we have ever been conservative, which is a cause for great pride and satisfaction. We will continue to look beyond”.

(paolo e giovanna vitelli).

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Marco Valle: Pole Position

• January 26, 2021

After well over two decades with Azimut Yachts, Marco Valle is settling into his new role as CEO of Azimut-Benetti Group, overseeing motor yacht models ranging from 34ft-354ft and a family-owned dynasty that has topped the Global Order Book for 21 straight years.

After 24 years with Azimut including four years as CEO, how has your role changed now that you’re CEO of both Azimut and Benetti?

When the Vitelli family offered me the position of CEO of the Group, I was both anxious because of the complexity of the role and fascinated by the challenge. And it was the latter emotion that prevailed.

Leading the entire Group is much more than manging two brands. Benetti and Azimut Yachts are completely different entities and must remain so. My task today is to capitalise on the best practices of both, optimising flows and functions so there’s no unnecessary overlapping and the whole company becomes more agile and efficient.

I travel a lot between the two locations, Avigliana and Livorno, to actively participate in their main activities. Paradoxically, the restrictions linked to Covid that discourage international travel are allowing me to divide my work week equally.

Which parts of the new job have most tested you?

I’ve spent over two decades in Azimut Yachts, so I’m familiar with all the internal mechanisms and most of my senior colleagues. Benetti is a complex reality, with its centuries-old history and production logistics. I am trying to learn the ‘family vocabulary’, which is not to be taken for granted. At the same time, I feel I’ve already established a great relationship with my new colleagues, perhaps because I’m a familiar face.

Did the launches of the Azimut Magellano 25 Metri and Benetti Oasis 40M, soon after you started your new role on September 1, help provide a positive end to a 2020 plagued by Covid?

I think the whole company deserves credit for having had a particularly timely reaction when the pandemic broke out. We were all aware of the need for an immediate change of pace. Each initiative that resulted from this approach is the outcome of a precise strategy. I’m very satisfied with all the initiatives being a great success, which allowed us to close the year more than satisfied.

The Azimut-Benetti Group’s 2020 press conference and gala evening was held in Portofino

In late October, the Group announced an increase in annual turnover in Asia-Pacific including many Azimut Grande deliveries and four Benetti Oasis sales. Why do the Group’s large models hold such a big appeal in this region and how important are dealers such as Marine Italia in

I believe our success in Asia-Pacific can be attributed to three main factors. One, we know this market very well because we have been present locally long before our competitors. Two, we’re good at distinguishing the tastes and expectations of the market’s customers, so push those models that will most likely meet their approval. Three, we’ve built an excellent network of dealerships – Marine Italia in particular, but not only them – that oversees the area better than most of the competition.

How much has the Group’s overall business been affected by Covid?

Like all Italian shipyards and many other European ones, we stopped for almost two whole months in March and April 2020. When we got back up and running, it was extraordinary to see how much enthusiasm and passion each staff showed on their return, with the firm intention of doing their part to make up for lost time. And we ended the nautical year in substantial balance with the previous fiscal year.

Azimut closed the sale of an S6 at its first e-Boat Show

How did Azimut’s Virtual Lounge and its e-Boat Show change the way the shipyard communicates with existing and potential owners, as well as dealers?

When we realised many boat shows would be postponed or cancelled, we immediately thought we had to create a virtual experience for our customers, a space we could present our models in detail and an arena for interactive exchanges. That’s how the Virtual Lounge was born. It was then filled with images and videos, leading to a virtual boat show.

The Azimut e-Boat Show event gave interested and potential customers the opportunity to ask questions directly to dealers and sales managers, and we even closed the sale of an S6! As for our dealers, we’ve increased contacts and appointments through virtual meetings and sales-school sessions, and are developing introductions to the new models entirely dedicated to them.

Can you tell us more about Azimut’s use of BCool engineering?

Our collaboration with the company that produces the BCool system had already been in place before the Covid pandemic, yet we were happy to offer customers the option on the Magellano 25 Metri at a

time when they felt its real usefulness.

BCool engineering was first used on Azimut’s new Magellano 25 Metri

This innovative Marine Mechanical Ventilation System (MMVS) is based on a NASA patent and was originally developed for use on aerospace missions to sanitise the air on board. The system imitates and reproduces the process that takes place in nature, exploiting the combined action of the rays produced by a special UV lamp and a catalytic structure, without affecting the yacht’s power and consumption. After the success experienced on the Magellano 25 Metri, we are now evaluating how to extend this offer to other models.

Why did Azimut choose to work with Vincenzo De Cotiis and what has been the reaction to his interiors on the Magellano 25 Metri?

At Azimut-Benetti, we like to continually raise the bar. After about a decade of collaborations with designers from sectors other than ours such as retail, luxury real estate and hotels, we met Vincenzo, who is an architect, a designer and a prominent exponent of collectible art.

Vincenzo De Cotiis made his yacht-design debut on the Magellano 25 Metri

We were fascinated by his artistic use of fibreglass, the basic material for the development of yachts up to a certain size. Vincenzo put extraordinary passion and great enthusiasm into the project, despite it being his debut in the nautical world.

We worked with four hands, combining his poetic creativity and our constructive know-how, but at no time did Vincenzo forget that the result had to be a yacht, not a house, and he respected all the essential needs of on-board life. I guess this is why clients love the yacht and Vincenzo is already working on the bigger sister, the 30 Metri.

Is the Magellano range now more relevant because of the current desire for greater volume and economy?

The Magellano 25 Metri is selling well and we also proposed a ‘Timeless’ version customised by the Azimut style office to respond to US clients’ tastes. I believe that, like the whole Magellano line, this model meets the needs of those who love long cruises.

Magellano is a very seaworthy line. It has large spaces and immense windows. Usually, where there’s technology there’s little aesthetic appeal, but on this yacht, you are surrounded by beauty. The Magellano line is as silent and reliable as craft intended for long voyages should be.

The aft cockpit on the Magellano 25 Metri

The model features a great cockpit design that offers an infinity view when the aft panel is lowered. Will we see this on other models?

According to many customers, the cockpit is becoming increasingly important. I’d say there’s a great demand for a subdivision of spaces that blend external and internal areas, a request that arises from a less formal way of living on board. If the cockpit is well designed and finished, it becomes a natural extension of the main saloon, only closer to the waterline. So, for sure, we will see this on the next Magellano and other Collections of both brands.

How is the Azimut Grande Trideck progressing?

The Trideck will be launched in spring, hopefully during our annual Yachting Gala if it’s possible to stage it. It’s the largest boat ever built by Azimut Yachts, at 38.2m in length and with a 7.9m beam. It’s also the brand’s first three-deck yacht and a symbol of the shipyard’s capacity for design, stylistic and construction innovation. It has a highly innovative layout, designed for a contemporary owner who seeks constant contact with the outside environment and thinks of their boat as a place of conviviality. Informality, dynamism and flexibility of spaces are the fundamental concepts of this yacht.

Azimut completing Grande Trideck The Italian builder is busy finishing the 38.2m Grande Trideck, its biggest-ever yacht, for delivery in early 2021.

What can you tell us about the new Azimut 53 Fly?

The 53 Fly is the new entry model of the Flybridge Collection, so part of a market segment in which Azimut Yachts is a leader. It’s a yacht of almost 17m that entails stylistic content and a layout typical of much larger boats. It offers large volumes while maintaining a sporty appearance and slender lines, with the characteristic Azimut style immediately recognisable.

Alberto Mancini has managed to create a yacht that is aesthetically very refined yet defined by functional, comfortable environments that allow the owner to live on board without needing crew. Maximum functionality is combined with refined aesthetics down to the smallest detail.

The upcoming Azimut 53 Flybridge

Which Collection is the most important for Azimut in terms of annual turnover?

The success of the brand is guaranteed by the good balance in terms of sales of all Collections. Indeed, one of the distinctive points of the Azimut-Benetti Group and the reason for its success is the breadth and completeness of its range, which starts from 34ft and goes up to 100m and beyond.

With three 100m-plus ‘gigayachts’ built by Benetti, how has the perception of the shipyard changed and are there more megayachts or gigayachts to come?

The ‘gigayachts season’ – as we’ve defined this extraordinary adventure – represents a milestone in the history of Benetti and an achievement that no one would have imagined possible for the Group even five years ago. Building three gigayachts over 100m in parallel and launching them in the space of just 100 days sounds like an epic tale, made possible only by audacity and supreme determination.

It rightfully brings Benetti into the Olympus of the international builders of gigayachts. The creation of these three giants required putting together a brilliant team of experts, a massive investment in terms of advanced industrial processes, and constant attempts to progress.

Numbers don’t lie. The FB272 Luminosity , which has a volume well above 5,500GT, required over 2 million working hours with spikes of more than 400 workers per day and the cooperation of more than 150 specialised international companies. Having acquired this know-how, we are now committed to repeating the experience and we already have something down the road.

Why do you think the new Oasis 40M has proved so popular?

The Benetti Oasis is in line with the changing tastes of customers, who are beginning to value peace and relaxation over formal opulence. In my experience over the last couple of decades, tastes have always changed, but I think we’re now looking at a bigger shift in what people want. They still want something unique but at the same time they want something more relaxed.

Four of the first 12 sales of Benetti’s new Oasis 40M are to Asia-Pacific

The owner and guests can have much easier access to the water, while services on board are much less formal, as are their lives. I think the Oasis platform jumps onto that at just the right time, evidenced by the number of units already sold. However, the yacht is more than a trendy floating beach club. The Oasis is also great for cruising between ports. It has a cruising speed of 14.5 knots, with a top speed of 15 knots, and a range of 4,000nm at 11 knots.

Which Benetti models are most suitable for Asia?

Benetti is a brand characterised by a great heritage that has always fascinated yacht owners from all over the world. Clients in Asia are no different, although large and custom models are the most popular in the region. In fact, we recently sold a 65m Custom yacht, FB270, which will be the first Benetti built under China Classification Society and Lloyd’s Registry rules. Yet I see Oasis holding a strong appeal, especially for young owners with an idea of life on board being closer to the Mediterranean lifestyle.

What and who is the upcoming B.Yond series most suitable for?

The B.Yond is a new generation of expedition yacht. The project aims to offer an unprecedented level of rationalisation of onboard volumes due to the strict separation of the functions of each deck – lower deck for the crew, main deck for the owner and his guests, upper deck dedicated to the living area. It boasts volume like a 500GT yacht in only 37m and offers an open design for better views and closer contact with the sea. Yet I think its main feature is the use of new hybrid propulsion expressly created by Siemens for our Group. This meets the expectations of owners who love to live on board in full privacy and are particularly attentive to the issues of sustainability and energy saving.

Which designs or technologies are increasingly important to yacht owners?

Some common traits have emerged in recent years. There’s increased interest in proximity to the sea and making the area close to the water into a real beach club with seats, sofas and so on. Also, there’s a desire for greater connection between interiors and exteriors, using large windows and opening doors, and removing visual obstacles to create a flow. There’s also increasing attention to consumption and sea pollution.

We are the proud builders of Luminosity , the world’s largest hybrid private yacht, and the exclusive users of the best system developed so far in the nautical sector, created by Siemens. There’s growing interest in gyms and areas intended for yoga, even in prominent areas of the boat. Finally, luxury is now expressed more as attention to details than ostentation or overabundant aesthetics.

Finally, how do you expect 2021 to be different to 2020?

The Group already has a very promising order backlog and will also launch nine new products in the next 12 months. We have done our part, but if causes of force majeure intervene – changing not only the scenario of the nautical market but everyone’s future – we will have to deal with it. We can only do our best not to be caught unprepared. www.azimutyachts.com www.benettiyachts.it

Azimut finalising 53 Flybridge The upcoming Azimut 53 features an Alberto Mancini exterior, a roomy flybridge, three guest cabins and a top speed of 31 knots with Volvo’s IPS propulsion.

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• LIFESTYLE , News , Yachting

Azimut Benetti, Marco Valle is the new CEO of the group

• May 27, 2020

Important change in the Azimut-Benetti Group’s top management team which is preparing for a really important evolution. On September 1, 2020, engineer Franco Fusignani will hand over responsibility for the Benetti Division in the hands of Dr. Marco Valle , currently in charge of the Azimut division.

With this appointment, once again, the Azimut Benetti Group shows how it is possible to globally evolve while preserving the typical values of a “family-run” company, light years away from the financial logic that has negatively affected the yachting sector.

The appointment of Marco Valle is not random since, thanks to the experience gained in 25 years of activity within the company, he combines extraordinary business skills and the ability to work in continuum with the business spirit and Paolo Vitelli’s imprint.

Engineer Fusignani will continue to be part of Azimut Benetti’s Board of Directors after September 1, for his experience gained in fifty years of work, offering all the necessary support in order to guarantee the efficient management of the integrated business, the different offer of product, the separate marketing and after-sales services of the two brands and their strengthening on the market.

Obviously, the desire to preserve the specificities and values ​​of each brand, whose distinct identities are the basis of the Group’s success, remains confirmed but it is equally clear that this choice aims to encourage the organic and unitary management of the business, with advantages in terms of effectiveness, timeliness and efficiency.

” Marco Valle, who joined the company 25 years ago, goes to the full support of the Vitelli family and the Group Board of Directors for this new challenge, which he will certainly be able to take with the same spirit of success that has marked his work, first as commercial manager of Azimut Yachts and, for four years, as CEO of the Azimut division”,

” We thank Franco for the great work he has done and continue to do in Benetti and the future continuity of his presence in the Group. Continuity deemed important to face new challenges in the face of an evolving market and generational change of current management “.

Azimut Benetti Group

Azimut|Benetti is the largest and most prestigious yacht manufacturer in the world. With 138 sales and service centers in 80 countries, the Group includes the estabilished Azimut Yachts and Benetti brands, each dedicated to a different market segment. The group also includes Lusben, leader of all luxury yacht refit and repair projects.

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Marco Valle To Become Group CEO of Azimut Benetti from Sept 1st

From September, Marco Valle will become the Group CEO of Azimut Benetti SpA. He will also take over the responsibility for the Benetti Division from Franco Fusignani who will remain on the Company’s Board of Directors.

Time waits for no man, and this appears to be the case at the renowned Italian boatbuilders Azimut Benetti SpA. They, along with the Vitelli family have announced that 75-year-old Franco Fusignani, will be handing over the responsibility for the Benetti Division on September 1st.

The Benetti division will be headed by Marco Valle, who is the current boss of the Azimut Division. Marco will take the helm of both Benetti and Azimut in his new position of Group CEO.

The decision is designed to unify the approach to business management and seeks to make the group more effective and efficient. The move should help to reinforce both brand’s specific values and characteristics.

Each brand has its own distinct identity, and it is these individual characteristics that have helped form the basis of the Group’s global success. Having both brands under the same management structure should strengthen the company’s position as one of the leaders in the world of luxury boat building.

Franco Fusignani will not be disappearing into the sunset. He will continue to be a board member at Azimut Benetti after September 1st. His 50 years of working experience should help to ensure efficient management of the integrated business and their respective ranges.

Azimut Benetti Group Chairman, Paolo Vitelli said: “Marco Valle, who joined the company 25 years ago, has the full support of the Vitelli family and the Group’s Board of Directors in this new challenge, which he will no doubt rise to with the same spirit of success that has been a distinctive feature of his work, first as Azimut Yachts sales director and for the last four years as CEO of the Azimut division.

We want to thank Franco for the great work he has done and continues to do in Benetti, and for his continued future presence in the Group. This continuity is thought to be important to tackle the new challenges of an evolving market and generational change in the current management team.”

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New Chief Executive Officer for Azimut Benetti Group

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Written by Zuzana Bednarova

Ferruccio Luppi has become the new Chief Executive Officer of the Azimut | Benetti Group, a new role created in the organization. This decision has been taken by President Paolo Vitelli, with full support of the Board of Directors, as part of the important Strategic Development Plan, recently adopted.

Ferruccio Luppi

Ferruccio Luppi, one of the closest collaborators of the FIAT CEO Sergio Marchionne, in the period of relaunch of the automotive group, will implement the Strategic Plan through coordination, cohesion and control of the three business lines of the Group: Yachts, Megayachts and Yachtique. The core functions of the Group – up to now directly coordinated by President Vitelli – will refer directly to him.

“I am convinced,” said Paolo Vitelli “that the human and professional qualities of Ferruccio Luppi, along with the commitment and passion of all my collaborators, starting from CEOs of the Business Line, and the continuity of my presence as President and main shareholder of the company, will allow to better express the enormous capabilities of our Group, which must continue to maintain the market leadership that belongs to the Company since the beginning.”

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AZIMUT|BENETTI INAUGURATES THE NAUTICAL YEAR WITH A NEW CEO AND AN EXTRAORDINARY PROGRAMME OF NEW PRODUCT LAUNCHES

Azimut|Benetti restarts from Marco Valle, officially vested with the new role of Group CEO by Vice President Giovanna Vitelli at the annual meeting with the media that traditionally kicks off the nautical year.

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Since joining the company in 1996, Valle has been assigned increasingly prominent roles that have led him to take on the position of CEO of Azimut Yachts in 2016. He now has been chosen by the owners to harmonize the best practices of both brands, with the aim of creating synergies and developing ever-better efficiencies.

This past year, despite the halt imposed by the pandemic, the company – which has built its success by continually investing in the credibility and reputation of its brands – still managed to confirm its solidity and dynamism. The Azimut | Benetti season therefore begins with a highly promising outlook.

“I am extremely proud to declare that we have managed to ensure the delivery of all our orders, thanks to the flexibility that the company deployed at every level in the most difficult months. And that’s not all: with an increase in units sold – 56 to date – , we once again reasserted our leadership in the market of yachts measuring over 24 metres long”, says Giovanna Vitelli, who goes on to say that “the appointment of Marco Valle fixes an inconsistency in our reality that over time had brought Benetti and Azimut to behave more as cousins than as brothers. Both brands are now ready for a new dynamic of heightened exchange and optimisation. Marco, with his strategic, broad-range vision, his ability to promote teamwork, his knowledge of the market and, above all, his commercial intuition, is the right man to make this step”.

For his part, Valle emphasised how important it is to keep the identity of each brand intact and well-distinct, while fully respecting the signature characteristics of each shipyard.

It was always Valle who then introduced the second part of the meeting, focusing on the calendar of new launches scheduled for the next 18 months.

“Relying on a financial position that, despite this very complex year, has been further strengthened, we are now able to present a particularly rich program of product development. Our overall product range will increase from 30 to 35 models, thus essentially covering all the existing categories in the luxury yachting market, bringing the Collections from 8 to 10, adding the luxury explorer category, B.Yond and the whole Oasis experience. This will allow us to continue serving our international clientele with even greater accuracy, meeting their demands with a range that not only offers yachts from 12 to over 100 metres long, but also makes it possible to choose from very different and assorted styles of navigation and experiences on board”, explained Marco Valle.

In fact, the Company will be showcasing an impressive 9 new models in the next 18 months.

Working in partnership with a handful of designers who for some years now have been defining the new signature style of the two brands, such as Alberto Mancini, Ken Freivokh, Giorgio M. Cassetta, Enrico Bonetti (Bonetti/Kozerski Architecture), Adrian Chisnell (RWD), the collaboration continued in a crescendo of anticipations and surprises, all of which are already part of the production pipeline.

For Azimut Yachts the range spans from the new flagship model, the Trideck designed by Achille Salvagni and Alberto Mancini, which will be ready by next January, when the Flybridge 53 (designed too by Mancini) is also scheduled to make its debut, to the Magellano 30 Metres, the older sister-model of the 25 Metres, which celebrated her debut in Portofino with the world premiere of Gabriele Muccino’s short film dedicated to the yacht. Plus the new Verve 42, a new Flybridge, and the new Magellano 66.

Benetti, who celebrated delivery of the first Oasis 40 M in Portofino (10 units sold on paper), will consolidate this new category with yet another model and will welcome the addition of a new product category, that of Motopanfilo , which promises to restore to the fullest all the charm of the classic watercraft models that made the brand famous in the 1960s. Scheduled for next September, instead, is the introduction of the 37 M of the new B.Yond category.

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Azimut Yachts Division Announce New CEO

By B. Roberts

The Azimut-Benetti Group has announced the appointment of Paolo Casani as the new CEO of the Azimut Yachts Division – one of the leading companies in the luxury yacht sector.

Paolo Casani began a sterling career with the company in 2008 after 25 years of experience in the fashion and luxury goods sector. The Yachtique Division of Azimut-Benetti was successfully directed by Casani until he was appointed the new CEO of the Azimut Yachts Division.

Paolo Casani is set to take over many of the responsibilities carried by Gianni Cucco, the previous CEO of Azimut who holds ten-years of experience at the top of the company. Cucco was recently called back by Chairman Paolo Vitelli to temporarily direct Azimut Yachts and help select his successor from amongst the company’s internal resources. Azimut stated in the most recent release that having now completed his duties, Gianni Cucco will remain with the company to support the Azimut division and will continue to carry out some corporate activities.

The Azimut-Benetti Group has decided to split its activities into two main areas: boats up to 30m, headed by the new CEO of Azimut, Paolo Casani, with help from the head of the Atlantis Division, Luca Sburlati, and boats over 30m which will be directed by Vincenzo Poerio, a historic company manager who has worked as CEO of Benetti for 18 years, and will from now on also be responsible for the Grande Collection models branded Azimut Yachts.

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Azimut|Benetti presents CEO Marco Valle and nine new models

The nautical group appoints Marco Valle as its new CEO, introduces nine new yachts and assigns the narrative to the director Gabriele Muccino

“The beauty of art can be so striking that you can no longer do without it.” So begins Open Your Eyes , a short but evocative film by the director Gabriele Muccino to celebrate the debut in Portofino of the Magellano 25-meter model by Azimut Yachts . The video clip demonstrates that beauty is universal and timeless, with the protagonists who are thrilled at the sight of the Barcaccia, the famous fountain of Piazza di Spagna in Rome, and are likewise amazed when they enter the refined interiors of the boat.

A story that completes a remarkable period of new developments for Azimut|Benetti : the nautical group founded in 1969 by Paolo Vitelli (then a college student) has appointed a new CEO, Marco Valle , inside the company since 1996 and previously CEO of the Azimut Yachts brand. He has been chosen to bring harmony across the group through the best practices of the two divisions, with the aim of creating synergies and developing greater efficiency. “The new position assigned to Marco Valle goes beyond the previous organization of our company, which over time has seen the coexistence of Benetti and Azimut more as cousins than as brothers. Now we are ready for a dynamic of more extensive exchange and optimization,” explains the vice-president and daughter of the founder, Giovanna Vitelli .

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Inside the 38m Azimut Grande Trideck flagship

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Azimut’s new flagship pushes the builder into the domain of superyachts with style and grace

Frisson is the scientific term for a psychophysiological response to an aesthetic stimulus, otherwise known as “chills”. For some, it happens when listening to Andrea Bocelli leave a part of his soul in a verse of Con Te Partiró . For designer Alberto Mancini , that frisson came unexpectedly, as it does, while he sat in the beach club of the Azimut Grande Trideck in Monaco harbour.

“I was invited on board by one of the owners,” the Italian yacht designer says, “and I was looking around at other similar-sized yachts and they were 20 or 30 years behind the Azimut with their design. Honestly, it gave me chills.”

The latest boat to derive from the builder’s constant innovation is the 38-metre flagship of Azimut’s Grande line, and the brand’s first tri-deck yacht. It’s a superyacht, yes, but still a fast boat as Azimuts are meant to be. Naval architect Pierluigi Ausonio designed the yacht’s D2P (displacement-to-planing) hull. The bottom has three major features that make it special: a double chine that increases stability at slow speeds and reduces drag at higher ones; a wavepiercer bow that extends the length at waterline to increase fuel efficiency and minimise pitch; and a central skeg for course integrity, particularly in aft quartering seas. Even with the skeg, the Azimut Trideck draws just over two metres, making her able to navigate all but the skinniest waters.

With the hammer down, this Azimut can get up and go to the tune of 24 knots, more than fast enough to outrun any unexpected foul weather. It can hit these speeds thanks to two 2,600hp straight-shaft MTUs. The much-sought-after wind-in-your-hair feeling that these speeds engender can be enjoyed on multiple exterior decks. The crux of the Trideck’s design and appeal is in these areas, so much so that Azimut describes the yacht as “three decks plus one”.

“We worked with Alberto Mancini to make an additional deck on the aft end of the main deck,” explains Marco Valle, CEO of the Azimut Benetti Group , which creates a cascading effect from the sundeck down to the beach club. This yacht has more spaces from which to enjoy the sea, he says, from the more traditional foredeck, sundeck, upper deck and the beach club, to a split-level main deck aft.

Mancini, who applied similar thinking to his previous collaborations with Azimut, says the cascading exterior was the product of a deliberate goal to come up with a distinctive characteristic. “We created a proper raised aft deck. We call it a ‘sea view aft terrace’, and it’s a lovely place to enjoy the water and the breeze with your guests, and it complements that beach club so well.”

This “terrace” has about 30 square metres of space, outfitted with a sweeping, U-shaped sofa that should be a hotspot whether underway or standing still. It leaves plenty of room below for a full-height beach club.

Azimut also wanted the beach club to be as closely connected to the marine environment as possible. “The biggest problem with a beach club is that the deck is closed off on all sides, and the owners are stuck in the shadows,” says Mancini. “No one wants that. We created openings on either side of the boat, so you never feel oppressed like you’re in a cave. Instead, you  can feel the wind and the water on your skin. We think it’s a great achievement. It’s like nothing I’ve ever experienced before on a yacht this size.”

The owner of the first Azimut Trideck, a repeat client who splits his onboard time between South Florida and the Med, buttresses Mancini’s take. “The beach club is well furnished and open to the sea air,” he says. “You don’t feel like you’re in something enclosed. It’s just an open look and feel and it’s almost flush with the water. So my wife can lie on the bed and watch everyone in the water. It’s like having another saloon, except it’s open to the environment. We love it.”

The foredeck lounge also makes for an excellent place to relax on massive sunpads and in the spa pool. Another space on the aft section of the upper deck offers impressive views and serves as the setting for al fresco meals, thanks to a dining table that can easily sit eight guests.  A “skydeck” with chaises longues sits above all, bringing sun worshippers closer to their god.

Of course, with all these outdoor spaces, it would have been easy for the yacht’s lines to become somewhat askew and top-heavy. But Azimut and Mancini understand that with any beautiful thing, proportion is key. They took great pains to ensure that the vessel’s aesthetic elements work in harmony.

For his part in this endeavour, Mancini points to his automotive design pedigree. “When one works with automobiles, the main goal is always to get the proportion right, and so that is always my goal with the yachts as well,” he says. “I’m inspired by sports cars and that industry. Even a car that’s only maybe five metres long directly informs what I will do with a yacht like this one, that is 38 metres.”

The Azimut Trideck has an undeniable je ne sais quois to its outward appearance. Perhaps it’s the way the upper deck parallels the relatively straight sheer line, or the proportion of the bow to the superstructure, which seems to mimic the mix of gravitas and extravagance seen in a Bentley or Rolls-Royce.

Mancini points out that not a drop of seaworthiness was sacrificed for aesthetics.  “I have a good partnership with Azimut’s technical department,” he says. “We have daily emails and meetings on the construction and design process. They let me draw what I want to start. You can call this part ‘the romantic step’. I sketch what I feel and they don’t tell me ‘Oh you can’t do this, you can’t do that.’ They allow me to brainstorm, and then the design team works with my vision step by step to approach the technical and practical things and make sure that everything works perfectly.”

A technical decision that paid dividends for Azimut was to use as much carbon fibre as possible, particularly in the superstructure, which is entirely laminated in the material.  A driving factor of the yacht’s design was to keep her as light as possible without sacrificing structural integrity, and the carbon fibre helped achieve that. She tips the scales at a relatively feathery 190 tonnes at full displacement. And the decision to use carbon fibre paid off in spades in her interior volume, another key area of the Trideck’s development. There’s so much space that Azimut offers an option for a sixth guest cabin on the upper deck. Valle says that five of  the six hulls the company has sold have  taken advantage of the six-cabin layout, which is the only major layout customisation available.

The yacht’s interior designer, Achille Salvagni , who pens the interiors for all the models in the Grande series, entered the project with a simple yet ambitious concept in his mind. “The true disruptive force behind this project is its desire to define an alternative use for the settings, by opening them up, and in doing so, presenting new ways to experience the boat,” he says. “When the function of a given space is not strictly defined, it becomes more fluid and changeable, shaped around the need for conviviality and socialisation.” In other words, an open mind leads to open space.

This fluidity shows in the absence of a formal dining area on the main deck. Instead, meals can be hosted at tables on the upper deck, sundeck or the al fresco section of the main deck. This choice opens up the saloon for more casual entertaining and makes it a voluminous party space as well. The goal is to embody a loose and flexible atmosphere.

The interior lines – perhaps best exemplified by the furniture that eschews corners – were designed by Salvagni to be “smooth and sinuous”. Light creams and greys play gently off one another on the fabrics by the Milanese brand Dedar, the veneers, and in the marbles and other stones found throughout.

Salvagni’s work has Azimut’s clients abuzz.  “If you look at the ceiling, the floor, everywhere, there is a lot of Italian style, which I like,” the owner says. “The fit and finish has a real megayacht feel to it. And the quality as well. It starts in the railings, and it goes into the hallways and the interior spaces. And another, slightly different aspect I love about it is the isolation you can feel in the boat. They did a wonderful job with the sound insulation. For me, it’s important that when you walk in one section of the boat, you can’t hear it in another section. And this Azimut is almost totally silent inside. It’s amazing.”

The lush and thoughtful interior combines with a heavy emphasis on outdoor living to create a yacht that can do it all. As the owner puts it, “When I’m in the Med, I like to go to Monaco and the fancier places and go out to the parties and restaurants, and the [Trideck’s] lines and high style make her perfect for that,” he says. “But I also travel with my family and want to go to the more isolated islands and really get a chance to enjoy the natural environment in peace and quiet, and she can do that as well.  I really don’t know of any other boat that can go to either kind of place quite as expertly as this one. My family and I expect to create many good memories on board.” It’s enough to give anyone the chills.

First published in the October 2021 edition of BOAT International. 

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Pardo GT75 makes its world debut at Cannes Yachting Festival 2024

• Cannes Yachting Festival
• Yacht industry

Pardo Yachts proudly presents the brand new Pardo GT75 at Cannes Yachting Festival 2024 - a vessel that opens new horizons, redefining standards not only for Pardo and the GT range but for the entire segment of luxury yachts. The company's commitment to enhancing the onboard experience has driven them to elevate past achievements, envisioning a new model where distinctive design meets advanced engineering, placing as always the owner at the heart of the project and in deep connection with the sea.

The new flagship, measuring nearly 23 meters in length, embraces the distinctive Pardo Yachts family feeling characterized by signature elements such as the reverse bow, forward-leaning windshield, and unparalleled connection to the sea. With its sleek and streamlined design, the Pardo GT75 harmoniously integrates with its surroundings as described by Gigi Servidati, President of Cantiere del Pardo: "It’s a luxurious villa on the sea, designed to offer a unique and sophisticated experience." He adds, "The Pardo GT75 embodies the vision we aimed to achieve, thanks to our boatbuilding heritage, combined with outstanding design and cutting-edge technology. You can only fully understand the immense potential of the Pardo GT75 by living it firsthand!”

Extended Performance and Range

Starting from a Cantiere del Pardo concept, conceived by Zuccheri Yacht Design for naval architecture, and Nauta Design for both exteriors and interiors, the Pardo GT75 has been designed to marry performance and stability even in challenging conditions. The standard engine package includes three Volvo Penta IPS 1050 units, each delivering 800 hp. Despite the impressive performance for her size, the ride is both quiet and comfortable thanks to the fact that the hull has been specifically optimized to work in perfect harmony with the Volvo Penta IPS propulsion system; moreover, the engine room is already set up to accommodate the hybrid engine to minimize environmental impact.

Adding to this is an exceptional range thanks to a 1,100-liter water tank and a 4,300-liter fuel capacity.

With the GT75, Pardo Yachts has taken the "easy to handle" concept to its extreme, a hallmark of every Pardo yacht. The driving experience, whether on the open sea or in port, is optimized by the raised central dashboard, bow thruster, gyro stabilizer, and second joystick in the cockpit, all of which facilitate mooring and other procedures where precision and ease of handling are required.

“The shipyard's requests were clear from the beginning: to create the largest Pardo ever, while staying true to the key elements that have distinguished its smaller siblings in the range” says EdoardoZuccheri from ZuccheriDesign . “After a long and complex design process, we can say we are more than satisfied with the final result: performance, seaworthiness, design, and engineering are truly flagship-worthy. The synergy between the shipyard, Nauta Design, and our studio has been inspiring, and we believe the final result is remarkable”.

Elegant Design and Luxurious Comfort

Envisioned as a luxurious villa surrounded by the sea, the Pardo GT75 immerses its guests in silence, light, and a harmony of colors and materials. This feeling is achieved through exceptionally spacious volumes and the shipyard's artisanal excellence. The enclosed superstructure provides complete protection and enhanced by a semi-open roof offers an airy and convivial lounge space to escape the midday sun or on cooler evenings. The large wrap-around windows, most of which can be opened, combined with a remarkably spacious cockpit, huge sun lounger, deployable side terraces – which can be angled as preferred to create a comfortable relax backrest – and multifunctional transformer integrated into the stern, create an unforgettable ambience in which the stern is the main protagonist and never out of sight or far from reach.

The sundeck even lifts up electrically to reveal a dedicated space for a 3.7m tender, more a feature of a superyacht than a 75-foot boat. There is another wide sunpad in the bow with a flippable backrest for facing out to sea or toward the sofa seating and coffee table in front of the windscreen. Moreover, the high bulwarks and walkaround deck provide maximum livability of the exterior spaces in complete safety.

The layout combines elegant design with functionality, offering a choice between a galley-up or galley-down versions with a full array of appliances. The galley-up version includes a well-equipped kitchen and an L-shaped sofa with a dining table for up to eight guests, facilitating direct interaction with the cockpit's outdoor dining area. The galley-down version transforms the main deck into a large living area with comfortable sofas, enhanced by a semi-open roof, side windows, and a sliding aft door for continuous sea views.   The lower deck's layout offers multiple sleeping area configurations, with access to the master cabin via an interior staircase. Options include two (on display at Cannes Yachting Festival), three, or four cabins, accommodating up to 10 berths including a full-beam owner’s stateroom, plus a crew double cabin. The standard layout features three cabins and three bathrooms, with thoughtfully designed spaces comparable to larger vessels.

“On board the Pardo GT75 we have translated the experience of seaside living into a luxurious yacht” stated Massimo Gino co-founder of NautaDesign.”This vision has been integrated by creating multiple outdoor spaces, including a beach area, sunbeds, and dining areas, allowing guests to enjoy each area at different times of the day. In addition the flexible layout offers up to four cabins, ensuring comfort and privacy.

The exterior and interior styling of the Pardo GT75 showcases Nauta’s signature approach to modern, clean lines and a balanced, harmonious design, which perfectly match the Pardo Yachts aesthetic DNA.”

Pardo GT75 is the latest evolution of the Pardo heritage that values modern performance and beauty combined with functional elegance and luxurious interiors in yachts where you’re never more than a couple of steps from the sea. 

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