Sebastiano Fanizza is the new CEO of Next Yacht Group
The shipyard that builds yachts under the Ab Yachts and Maiora brands is accelerating its growth strategy with the arrival of the experienced manager from Benetti.
Next Yacht Group, owner of the Ab Yachts and Maiora brands, announces the appointment of Sebastiano Fanizza as the group's new CEO, effective April 2, 2025.
Born in 1978, Sebastiano Fanizza joins Next Yacht Group after a career that has seen him at the forefront of the commercial development of the industry's most prestigious brands. He brings many years of consolidated expertise and in-depth knowledge of the nautical industry to his new role.
After graduating in mechanical engineering from the Polytechnic University of Turin and gaining initial experience in the automotive industry at Iveco, Fanizza quickly focused his career on the nautical world, quickly distinguishing himself for his strategic vision and commercial skills.
His joining Azimut Yachts in 2005 marked a progression through roles of increasing responsibility, ultimately becoming Sales and Service Director for the EMEA and APAC regions, significantly strengthening the brand's presence in Asia, with particular attention to the Chinese market, and further consolidating Azimut's leadership in these regions.
In 2015, at the invitation of Leonardo Ferragamo, he joined Nautor Swan as Director of Business and Corporate Development restructures the sales network and drives significant growth in the order book.
In 2018, called by Paolo Vitelli, he returned to the Azimut Benetti group as commercial director of Benetti Yachts, making a decisive contribution to the commercial successes that consolidated the shipyard's position, particularly in the mega and giga yacht segment.
"Throughout his career, Sebastiano Fanizza has combined a keen ability to anticipate market trends, embrace technological innovation, and focus on improving the customer experience," the statement explains.
With his addition, Next Yacht Group will be able to count on leadership capable of further strengthening the company team, particularly in the areas of sales, communications, marketing, and product innovation, and the distinctive positioning of the Maiora and Ab Yachts brands in the international nautical landscape.
“Taking the reins of Next Yacht Group is more than a new chapter in my career; it's the chance to shape the future of a company with extraordinary potential,” commented Sebastiano Fanizza. “I'm thrilled to work alongside a great team to revitalize two Made in Italy nautical excellences like Maiora and AB Yachts. The goal is to continue innovating, combining craftsmanship and new technologies, to offer our customers a unique and increasingly personalized experience, something that truly reflects their vision of life at sea. From this experience, we are already imagining a new way of living on board, beyond today's conventions.”
The arrival of Sebastiano Fanizza – continues the shipbuilding group’s statement – is part of a specific consolidation and growth strategy that Next Yacht Group has been pursuing since its founding in 2021. This strategy, based on talent development, process structuring, and solid governance geared toward sustainability and performance optimization, has already led to results such as a 110% increase in staff, a strengthened management team, and the acquisition of new strategic production sites in 2024.
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