Giovanna Vitelli, president of Azimut Benetti Group, has won the 27th edition of the EY Award for Entrepreneur of the Year, an awards given every year by EY, world leader in professional services such as financial revision and organization, financial and legal assistance, transactions and consultancy, to Italian entrepreneurs who have contributed to the economic, social and environmental growth of the country, and who stand out for their skill in transformation, innovation and work in sustainability, proven in a constantly changing and challenging context.

The jury, which included members of institutes, the economy and industry, awarded Giovanna Vitelli for “knowing how to steer her company towards not only further growth and profitability, but for also having inspired changes in technology, created sustainable designs, focused on the wellbeing of employees and on social responsibility.”

After having worked in business law, Vitelli became a part of the Board of Directors for the family busines, Azimut Benetti in 2000, progressively taking up the reins in product development and becoming president in 2023. The Group, for twenty-four years top yacht manufacturer in the world, closed its recent financial year with a revenue of 1.3 billion euros, registering a growth of 55% over the last four years.

In continuing with the mission and values of the Group, founded by her father, Vitelli considers investing in innovation to be the determining factor in keeping the company’s leadership in the industry, as well as creating value for the local people and area, in line with the positioning of the Azimut and Benetti brands, including not just new trends and lifestyle, but also advanced technology, giving them a jump start as well as working on reducing environmental impact.

From the beginning of her entrepreneurial role, Vitelli has explored new frontiers in yacht design, encouraging technical departments and designers to rethink spaces on board to offer today’s yacht owners a more contemporary lifestyle, centred around socialising, elegance and connection to the water, as can be seen in the Oasis Deck series for Benetti and Seadeck series for Azimut, both top sellers. In this evolutionary process, the Group has asserted itself as a Design Hub with international partnerships, introducing architects and creatives to the industry, who have enriched it with new and innovative solutions.

In sustainability, the Group has adopted a strategy that unites concrete work with an ambitious vision, providing the best results so far in the industry in emission reduction, thanks to the development and integration of some of the most efficient solutions available: weight reduction, highly efficient hull design, hybrid propulsion and on-board power management. At the same time, in partnership with external organisations and universities, the company is working on defining shared standards for certification in consumption and emissions, helping to guide the industry towards a more knowledgeable and mature approach.

In order to continue supporting her successful strategy, Vitelli also started a method of reinforcing management culture and governance, creating the Azimut Benetti Group Corporate Academy, aimed at training and further professional education, with the objective of passing on “know-how” in the company, which is a symbol of excellent technology, engineering and manufacturing in Italy, as well as to support young people as they get started in the boating industry.

“I believe – says the president of the Azimut Benetti Group – that this award is recognition for the results of the entire company in helping yacht owners along the way as they discover a new way of of enjoying the sea. As a family-run company, we have the privilege of looking to the future and creating value that will last a long time. Today this means working on reducing emissions in order to make the yachting industry more sustainable, inspiring other industry players. But above all it means continuing to bring together beauty with sophisticated technology. I would like to thank the 2250 people from around the world who work in the Azimut Benetti Group and who continue to lead the way alongside me.”

By Manuela Sciandra