Charting Her Course

Azimut-Benetti Group Chair GIOVANNA VITELLI on proving her mantle, evolving buyer profiles, and turning obstacles into opportunities.

- ADORA WONG

It's day one of the Cannes Yachting Festival 2025. I spent the morning touring luxury motor yachts by Azimut and Benetti, sister brands under the Azimut-Benetti Group, and am now heading to a meeting with Giovanna Vitelli, who became Chair in 2023. Her father, the late Paolo Vitelli, founded Azimut in 1969 and acquired Benetti in 1985. Across six shipyards, the Azimut-Benetti Group employs some 2,500 people and builds motor yachts measuring from 10 to over 100m in length.

Vitelli has been speaking individually with yachting journos for the past two hours. "You must be tired. I'll keep it short," I say as we shake hands."

"No, it's my pleasure to talk to you," she replies without missing a beat. She appears to still be raring to go, which is perfect since I have more than a few questions. This piece isn't about yachts. It's about Giovanna Vitelli.

A trained lawyer, she spent her first five years out of school doing mergers and acquisitions at a law firm in Milan. Her career trajectory however changed instantly following a casual conversation with her father.

"I was about to move to a law firm in New York. He said, 'I'm so happy you're happy. It's important to do what makes us happy. But if your career is in law, I will consider selling the company since the business won't continue in the family'," recounts the only child.

"He already had a prospective buyer. I said, 'Wait, wait, what do you mean?' A week later, I quit my job and cancelled my move to New York. I told my father, 'Let's work together for one year and see how it goes'."

The trial period was to determine if she'd be up to the task. "I had the passion, but we needed to make sure I was capable and could support the company's growth."