Gianguido Girotti to Lead Nautor Swan and Bluegame as Sanlorenzo Maps Next Growth Chapter

Sanlorenzo has announced a carefully staged leadership transition that places Gianguido Girotti at the helm of two of its most distinctive marques. From June 2026 Girotti will become Chief Executive Officer of Nautor Swan and Bluegame, charged with consolidating their foundations while safeguarding the identities that have made each brand influential in sailing and motor yachting.

A dual mandate: preserve identity, accelerate development

Girotti joins Sanlorenzo from his role as Deputy CEO of Group Beneteau, bringing international experience across both sailing and motor sectors. His eleven-year tenure at Beneteau encompassed product development, brand positioning and international commercial expansion — responsibilities that the Sanlorenzo board sees as directly relevant to the next phase for Swan and Bluegame. Sanlorenzo emphasises that both brands will continue to operate with autonomy as “individual and complementary expressions” of the group’s design-led, client-centred philosophy.

Reporting to Executive Chairman Massimo Perotti and supported by dedicated leadership teams at each brand, Girotti will steward product development programmes and high-end service operations, while seeking to expand global reach and deliver innovations aligned with each brand’s DNA.

Leadership continuity and stewardship

The appointment is part of a broader reshuffle that retains senior experience within the group. Giovanni Pomati will remain closely involved with Nautor Swan as Brand Senior Advisor, focusing on the ClubSwan ecosystem — a strategic pillar for community, events and owner engagement. Carla Demaria will step back from day-to-day executive duties after four decades in yachting and assume the role of Advisor to the Chairman and continue as a member of the Sanlorenzo board.

Perotti framed the transition as a moment to “enter a new phase of growth for both Nautor Swan and Bluegame,” praising Demaria’s long-standing contribution and Pomati’s role in preserving Swan’s identity through integration and the development of the Swan Maxi line. The statement also highlights Nautor Swan’s return to profitability in its first year of consolidation within the group — a metric Sanlorenzo cites as evidence of the acquisition’s early success.

Industry context: why the appointment matters

This move reflects an industry-wide trend of consolidation among high-end builders paired with renewed focus on distinct brand identities. Sanlorenzo has been extending its portfolio since 2005 and positions itself as a group that blends design, craftsmanship and technological innovation. The appointment of a leader with multi-brand experience signals intent to marry the authenticity of established marques with the operational scale and R&D capabilities of a broader industrial platform.

At the same time, Sanlorenzo’s stated “Road to 2030” and recent milestones — from onboard fuel-cell systems to hydrogen-powered tenders — underline how product strategy and sustainability are converging. Girotti’s remit thus sits at the intersection of preserving owner-community values (notably within ClubSwan) and delivering next-generation yachts that respond to both lifestyle evolution and low-impact propulsion trends.

Key highlights

• Gianguido Girotti to become CEO of Nautor Swan and Bluegame, transition commencing June 2026.
• Girotti brings leadership experience from Group Beneteau, with expertise across sailing and motor yachting.
• Nautor Swan and Bluegame will maintain operational autonomy while benefiting from Sanlorenzo’s group resources.
• Giovanni Pomati to serve as Brand Senior Advisor for Nautor Swan, focusing on ClubSwan.
• Carla Demaria moves to Advisor to the Chairman and remains on the Sanlorenzo Board after four decades in the industry.
• Sanlorenzo highlights Nautor Swan’s return to profitability in its first year of consolidation and ongoing product-development plans.

For Sanlorenzo, the appointment is both an affirmation of the group’s multi-brand strategy and a tactical step toward accelerating product programmes while preserving the cultural capital of Swan and Bluegame. Girotti’s combination of sailing pedigree and motor-yacht innovation is positioned as the appropriate blend of skills to steward that balance.

As the wider yachting market continues to prize both heritage and technical progress, the coming months will reveal how the new leadership translates strategy into boats — and into reinforced relationships with the owner communities that define both brands.