Forlì, September 8, 2026 – It was not necessary to be deep connoisseurs of luxury boating to confirm that today, at the opening of the Cannes Yachting Festival, all eyes were on them. It was enough to notice how many people – among industry insiders, visitors, or simple onlookers – were willing to stop, under a scorching sun, to take a selfie or pose in front of a Riva model (one of the seven brands controlled by Ferretti, the Forlì-based giant of boating), displayed right at the entrance of the prestigious event.
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The yachts made with the group’s seven brands continue, therefore, to exert an undisputed charm, although the competition within the sector is fierce: it is no coincidence that CEO Stassi Anastassov had already declared, on the eve, the ambition to be “not one of the best companies in the luxury boating sector, but the best of all.” He reiterated this today during the traditional opening press conference of the French show, which remains one of the most prestigious events in international boating and will enliven the Croisette until September 13.
Increased protection for customers: to move from excellence
to leadership, it is also necessary to provide support
after purchase
The press conference – followed by an informal meeting, requested by the CEO with some journalists from national and international newspapers (including Il Carlino) – was the occasion to present the main news and share the strategic directions of the new boating season. At the center of the strategy outlined by the CEO (in office at the group for just over one hundred days), there continues to be on one side the desire to interpret the evolution of the global market through increasingly distinctive products, the result of skills and constant investments in quality; on the other, the desire to conquer larger market shares in areas he considers promising, such as the United States and China.
Silicon Valley and Hangzhou: where the “young wealthy” are
In particular, the CEO stated that he has targeted the so-called “younger wealthy,” referring, for example, to the startup founders of the Silicon Valley, in California, and the young people of Hangzhou, one of China’s most prosperous economic centers, especially for digital entrepreneurship.
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When asked if he is worried about the effects of the international geopolitical crisis, which is shaking quite a few luxury ‘big players’ (just a few days ago, the Financial Times took stock of the Lvmh group, owner of brands like Louis Vuitton and Dior, speaking of an ‘endless crisis’ in the sector), Anastassov replied by calling himself “an optimist” and stating that he is “strongly convinced that, in the long term, the ongoing tensions will calm down.”
Four world premieres for the Itama, Riva, and Custom Line brands
Returning to the news presented at the first of the so-called “Mediterranean shows” (Montecarlo and Genoa will follow), the Ferretti group arrived at the Croisette with a fleet of 22 boats, including four ‘world premieres’ for the brands Itama, Riva, and Custom Line.
Regarding the relationship with customers, CEO Anastassov announced an extension of the protection provided on new boats, called “+1 year Ferretti quality promise”: in practice, the group will add an additional year of coverage on the boats of its brands. A choice that the CEO motivated as follows: “Leading Ferretti Group from excellence to absolute leadership – he said – means having stronger and more distinctive brands, investing in quality and innovation and, above all, making possible an ownership experience that does not end at the delivery of the yacht. I call it ‘the moment of truth’: not the moment when the owner buys the yacht, but the moment when he starts using it and might need our support. That is where we must prove our worth.”
