Paolo Casani appointed president of Camper & Nicholsons.

Camper & Nicholsons has announced the appointment of Paolo Casani as its president, with the aim of orchestrating the group’s strategic growth.

With twenty years experience in the fashion and luxury goods sectors, including Armani, Valentino, Calvin Klein and Ferragamo, Casani previously served as CEO of Azimut Yachts, where prior to that he successfully launched and directed its Yachtique Division and then CEO of Nautor Holding.

“Mr. Casani brings an ideal mix of knowledge and expertise to build on the strong corporate foundations recently put into place at the group level of Camper & Nicholsons International and we look forward to his leadership and contributions,” said Gualtiero Giori, executive chairman of Camper & Nicholsons International.

On his new appointment, Mr Casani commented: “I am honored to be named president of the Camper & Nicholsons group at this very exciting time in the company’s growth. The shareholders have worked with dedication and perseverance to strengthen the position of the Camper & Nicholsons brand by securing its intellectual property and facilitating the entrance of Fincantieri as a prestigious new shareholder. I look forward to working with the Board of Directors and the operational teams to consolidate our market position and tap into exciting market development opportunities.”

One of Mr. Casani’s early responsibilities will be the launch of ‘Yachtster’ a short-stay charter business for small to mid size yachts recently acquired by the Camper & Nicholsons group, with a view to broaden its share of the global charter market. The acquisition reinforces Camper & Nicholsons’ interest in expanding its service mix, through a business that leverages technology and innovation to improve the ease of booking and experiencing luxury charters. Yachtster will focus on a smaller category of luxury yachts not represented in Camper & Nicholsons International’s charter fleet.

Michael Payne will continue to run the group’s brokerage firm as its CEO.