Azimut|Benetti Group – METS-IBI Boat Builder Award received by Paolo Vitelli
According to the author itative judges of the Boat Builder Awards for Business Achievement, Paolo Vitelli’s name is synonymous worldwide with Italy’s highest production and innovation capacity in the nautical sector.
For the first time in nautical history, the careers and contributions of leading nautical entrepreneurs over the last 50 y ears were measured against one another under the auspices of the prestigious IBI (International Boat Industry) magazine and of Amsterdam’ s MET S, the world’s largest marine equipment trade show.
The qualified jury, made up of nine journalists and industry experts called on to evaluate the candidates of the first ever “Boat Builder A wards for Business Achievement”, granted the “Lifetime Achievement Award” to Paolo Vitelli, founder and president of the Azimut|Ben etti Group, a world-leading Italian company in the production of mega yachts.
Paolo Vitelli thanked the jury, IBI and METS for the detailed and flatte ring review of his own personal milestones and those of Azimut|Benetti. In his speech, he pointed out that, in order to be an entrepreneur, you need a dream, a driving passion and a firm commitment, as well as a pinch of positive madness, the latte r having being his most crucial quality in tackling the great challenges that have earned the company its present day success.
The president of the Italian group also directed an encouraging exhortation to young people, now that markets seem to be recovering, inviting them to take on even greater professional challenges than his, without the fear of ‘daring’.
In its many ears of challenging, hard work since 1969, Azimut|Benetti has introduced countless corporate and product innovations, man y of which have become veritable turning points, paving the way for and dictating new technical, strategic and commercial trends soon adopted by the rest of the industry. Just to name a few, the comp any is responsible for introducing the use of fibreglass for boats over 30 meters in length; for being the first to pioneer and believe in the US mark et, in which it currently boasts a solid and widespread presence; and for internationalising the Italian Azimut|Benetti brand, ensuring its steady growth and turning it into the undisputed industry leader. Today, the driving force behind the company’s success is the father daughter team made up of Paolo and Giovanna Vitelli.
Over 250 people, including VIPs and representatives of the exhibiting and winning companies, took part in the first prize-giving gala evening, which took place in the spectacular glass-roofed garden of the Maritime Museum in Amsterdam as part of METS 2015 (Marine Equipment Trade Show).
