Italian shipyard Cantiere delle Marche sold

Italian luxury shipyard Cantiere delle Marche (CdM) has been sold, and a new CEO appointed.

The acquisition of 100 per cent of the capital of the company has been completed through a management buyout supported at 75 per cent by the Austrian FIL Bros Family Office. The remaining 25 per cent goes to the company’s co-founders Ennio Cecchini and Vasco Buonpensiere.

Ennio Cecchini former CEO of Cantiere delle Marche, has become the new president. Vasco Buonpensiere, current sales and marketing director, has been appointed CEO.

“What we have in mind are ambitious and visionary goals,” says new CEO, Vasco Buonpensiere. “Considering that our production is totally sold up to 2026, and that the value of production will double within three years compared to 2021, we will further focus on our brand positioning.”

Some 12 years after its foundation, CdM says it is now the 12th shipyard in the global order book 2022 by the length of yachts under construction.

Tom Schröder, owner of FIL Bros Family Office, says: “I have an immense passion for yachting, and I found out that CdM’s management and staff share this passion of mine combined with the commitment to build something special, something that has no equal in the yachting industry.

“Together with Vasco and Ennio, since both of them play a key role in the shareholding structure, and all employees that will be further involved and motivated in the company growth, we will consolidate CdM’s position in the international arena as one of the best yacht builders in the world – consistently with what has been done in the last 12 years.”

Schröder adds the shipyard aims to deliver three or four explorer yachts per year.

CdM was founded in 2010 while the financial crisis rocked the industry. It has grown to be one of the most recognised names in explorer yachting.

“Over the years, while staying true to CdM’s founding mission, we have been able to move forward, developing new ideas and designs, always thinking out of the box, never following trends but creating new ones,” says newly appointed president Ennio Cecchini. “When we decided to specialise CdM production, Vasco and I had a clear vision of what would happen in the yachting industry, and time has proved us right: that of explorer yachts is nowadays recognized as a trend.”

CdM reports an order book of 13 explorer yachts, with a total length of 504 metres and a gross tonnage of around 5000GT.