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Fanizza appointed CEO of Next Yacht Group
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Sebastiano Fanizza takes charge of Maiora and AB Yachts, having held senior roles at Benetti, Nautor Swan and Azimut.
Sebastiano Fanizza, CEO, Next Yacht Group
Next Yacht Group, owner of the Maiora and AB Yachts brands, has announced Sebastiano Fanizza as its new Chief Executive Officer. Fanizza has held the role since April 2 after joining from Benetti, where he was the superyacht builder’s Chief Commercial Officer for 6½ years, in his second major stint at the Azimut-Benetti Group.
A graduate in Mechanical Engineering from the Polytechnic University of Turin, the Italian began his career in the automotive sector at Iveco, before transitioning to the yachting industry by joining Azimut in March 2005, working for the Italian shipyard for almost 11 years.
Fanizza rose through the ranks to eventually become Azimut’s Sales and Service Director for the EMEA and APAC regions in 2013, having earlier spent 3½ years as Asia Pacific Area Manager based in Shanghai, China.
In 2015, at the invitation of Leonardo Ferragamo, he joined Nautor Swan as Commercial and Business Development Director, where he restructured the sales network and drove significant growth in the order book.
Joining Benetti as CCO in October 2018, he drove outstanding commercial results and now hopes to transfer his leadership skills to the Next Yacht Group, which was formed in 2021. It has since more than doubled its workforce and acquired the former Perini Navi shipyard in Viareggio in 2024, as it revitalises the Maiora and AB Yachts brands founded in 1980 and 1992 respectively.
“Taking the helm at Next Yacht Group is more than just a new chapter in my career; it’s a chance to shape the future of a company with extraordinary potential. I’m excited to work alongside a great team to bring new energy to two extraordinary brands like Maiora and AB Yachts,” Fanizza said.
“Together, we will continue to push boundaries, blending Italian craftsmanship with smart innovation to offer our clients something that truly reflects their vision of life at sea. From that experience, we are already imagining a new way of living onboard, beyond today’s conventions.”
Headquartered in Viareggio, where it has 11,100sqm of facilities across two sites, Next Yacht Group also has a 20,000sqm production site in nearby Massa and is currently building about two dozen 25m-plus yachts.
