Sanlorenzo’s Massimo Perotti has been honoured with a Lifetime Achievement award in the 2023 Boat Builder Awards for Business Achievement, the youngest person so far to achieve the accolade.
Massimo is also the only person to have achieved this status following a career spanning two separate boat building companies, rising through the ranks of Azimut to become its CEO and then taking a majority stake in Sanlorenzo as its CEO and subsequently, its chairman. Under his tenure Sanlorenzo has grown its turnover from €42 million in 2004 to €740 million in 2022.
Josie Maher from Edencraft and Žiga Jarc from EJET were named as this year’s Rising Stars.
The awards saw 36 companies from 14 countries shortlisted as finalists across 11 categories, from which 12 winners and three Honourable Mentions were named.
Sustainability was the key theme, reflecting the marine industry’s ongoing shift in focus towards environmental design and practices.
“Emerging innovative businesses are making their mark, breaking the mould in ways we could not have imagined even when we started these awards,” said IBI editor in chief and chair of the Boat Builder Awards judges, Ed Slack. “There is also a lot of evidence in this year’s entries that close collaboration within the marine sector as well as with specialists in other industries is ever more important to address challenges and create opportunities.
METSTRADE director Niels Klarenbeek continues: “Our theme this year drew inspiration from the elements to which we owe everything – earth, water, air, and fire.
Boat Builder Awards 2023 winners
Customer of Tomorrow: Axopar – x Agapi Boat Club, finalists: RAND Boats – in partnership with GoBoat Connect and TYDE – The Icon
Breakthrough Launch of the Year sponsored by High Pressure Watermakers: HH Catamarans – HH44, honourable mentions: – Prestige Yachts – M-Line, Sunseeker International – Superhawk 55, finalist: TYDE – The Icon
Innovative Design Solution sponsored by Fusion: TYDE – The Icon – glazing, flight control, digital helm, safety features and sound system, finalist: Artemis Technologies – eFoiler – foiling pilot boat, Ferretti Yachts – INFYNITO 90 – All-Season Terrace, main deck layout, country kitchen and FSEA technology, HH Catamarans – HH44 – Eco-drive system, Sunseeker International – Superhawk 55 – aft deck and helm layout
Supply Chain Collaboration – production boats sponsored by Ultraflex: Nautique Boat Company and Scanstrut – magnetic charger for 2024 ski boats, honourable mention: Highfield Boats and Zerojet – EJET 330 electric RIB, finalist: Princess Yachts, Whisper Power and Sleipner – X80 and Y80 E2 Hotel Battery Pack
Supply Chain Collaboration – superyachts: CRN, RINA Services and Weichai-Ballard – SUP-Y: Sustainable Powered Yacht, finalist – BSS and Lürssen – HISAC
Sustainability Project of the Year sponsored by ePropulsion: Beneteau Group – recycling fibres into new builds, finalists: Amer Yachts – Go Slowly campaign, Azimut | Benetti Group – adoption of biofuel
Eco-focused Boat of the Year sponsored by Marine Resources: IMPACD Boats – IMPACD 570, finalist: Saffier Yachts – Saffier Se 24 Lite, Sunreef Yachts – 80 Sunreef Power ECO
Designer of the Year: Christian Gott – Fairline Yachts, finalists: Carl Kai Rand – Rand Boats, Designworks, J&J Design and Tobias Hoffritz, TYDE – collaborators on TYDE The Icon, James Hakes – HH Catamarans
People and Skills Development: MIA, AIMEX and BIA – Australian Marine Jobs Initiative, finalists: British Marine – People & Skills programme, Sunseeker International – Sunseeker Skills Academy
Rising Star sponsored by Lumishore: Josie Maher – Edencraft, Žiga Jarc – EJET
Lifetime Achievement sponsored by Sleipner: Massimo Perotti – Sanlorenzo
The awards were jointly organised by IBI and METSTRADE and held in association with Raymarine.
