Creation of superyacht division represents a pivotal moment for MarineMax

MarineMax is creating a superyacht division from its previous shopping sprees. The acquisitions of Fraser Yachts, Northrop & Johnson, Fairport Yacht Management, SuperYacht Management (SYM), and Atalanta Golden Yachts means it’s become the largest superyacht services company in the world. And now it’s looking at how to manage that. Currently the plan is to integrate and combine functional areas which will in turn – it hopes – improve the opportunities for team members, enhance the client offering, and maintain the culture and independency of the brands. Quite a tall order.

This comes on the back of this week’s speculation about OneWater Marine being ‘in talks’ to acquire its larger rival MarineMax. Media reported that OneWater made ‘an all-cash, $40-a-share offer for MarineMax‘ but then refused to comment on what it called ‘market rumours’.

So in the meantime, in order to get the new division’s ball rolling, the superyacht brands’ back-office functions will be combined into one global support structure. HR, accounting, finance, legal & compliance, martech, video & image production, business intelligence and technology will all fall under one roof although MarineMax stresses that the DNA of the well-established, individual brands won’t change.

The division will be headed up by Daniel Ziriakus as group chief operating officer and executive vice president, and Alessandra Nenci as group chief financial officer and executive vice president.

Ziriakus has spent the past 18 years building and restructuring global yacht brokerage houses (from a marketing perspective). He’s worked with Fraser Yachts, Camper & Nicholson’s International and for the past decade has been overseeing Northrop & Johnson’s expansion to become the largest US superyacht brokerage house. The company produced double-digit growth revenue year-on-year while growing the workforce to 230+ individuals across the globe under his tenure (COO, and then president & chief operating officer).
 
Alessandra Nenci counts the Perini Group, Gruppo Baglietto and Heesen Yachts among her stepping stones. She joined Fraser Yachts under the Azimut-Benetti ownership in 2013 and became chief financial officer in 2017. Nenci has worked closely with the founders and leaders of primary shipyards and iconic brands and developed an understanding of production processes and product. In her 11 years at Fraser, she’s positively impacted organisational growth and transformation under MarineMax ownership. 

“With Daniel and Alessandra at the helm, we are confident in our ability to deliver unparalleled service and support to our clients,” says Chuck Cashman, chief revenue officer for MarineMax. “The creation of the superyacht division represents a pivotal moment for MarineMax. This new structure will not only enhance operational efficiency but also reinforce our commitment to maintaining the unique identities of our esteemed brands while offering an elevated customer experience. Equipping our team with best-in-class tools guarantees superior marketing, cutting-edge technology, and exceptional support.”