There is turmoil in the
Beneteau group
, one of the world’s largest that crossed the 140-year milestone in 2024.
After the recent designation of Catherine Pourre as chairman of the board of the Groupe Beneteau, three more appointments arrive: Clément Himily as GM of sailboats, Yannick Madiot as head of the 6- to 12-meter motoryacht business unit and Michelangelo Casadei as GM of what Beneteau Groupe calls“Real Estate on the Water“: we are talking about 12- to 24-meter motoryachts, real homes on the water.
The French giant with Italian traction
Beneteau Group is a giant in boating with its 1.785 billion euros in sales in 2023 and a workforce of nearly eight thousand employees worldwide. The current CEO of the group’s “Boat Division” is Italian Gianguido Girotti , who also serves as COO of the entire group.
Now there will be another Italian at the top, Michelangelo Casadei, as general manager for the 12- to 24-meter boats. This is definitely a level purchase for the French group, especially given the background and position he will be filling.
The French group calls its 40- to 80-foot motoryachts as “real estate on water,” meaning practically houses on water. A concept that has an important rationale and creates a clear distinction between boats designed for just bathing on the one hand and those that can also spend longer periods aboard, just like a house, but on the water.
About Michelangelo Casadei
As general manager of this segment, he will be able to put his more than 20 years of experience between automotive and marine to good use. Specifically for yachting, Casadei served from 2008 to 2021 first as director of quality and then director of engineering for Ferretti Group before moving to Nautor Swan as head of operations and the group’s plant in Pietarsaari, Finland, until 2024.
Could the arrival of the new Italian manager be, for the French group, a way to strengthen itself at the top end of the market given Casadei’s also technical background?
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