Team on the Sea: Luca Cristino – Welcome to Simpson Marine

It’s with heartfelt warmth that we announce the appointment of Luca Cristino as Executive Chairman of Simpson Marine.

Luca Cristino, born in 1966 in Turin, Italy, has been a prominent name in Italian shipbuilding for three decades – most of which was spent with Azimut. Cristino joined Azimut in 1994 and assumed the role of Sales Director in 2001, a position he held for seven years before moving from sales to operations when a new shipyard opened in Sardinia.

By 2010, Cristino had become Deputy Director of Yachtique, a service division that sits under the Azimut | Benetti Group. He managed three legal entities (Marina di Varazze, Fraser Yachts and Royal Yacht Club in Moscow), as well as three business units (Lusben for refit, styling lounge for décor and client service, financial services for insurance and boat financing).

Cristino then joined Sanlorenzo in 2018 as Vice President of sales until 2024, when he embarks on another adventure as Executive Chairman at Simpson Marine. We caught up with Cristino to hear all about it.

What inspired the move to assume the role of Executive Chairman at Simpson Marine?

I love taking on new challenges and embracing the spirit of adventure – call me crazy! This new role broadens my horizons and creates many opportunities to see new things, meet new people and embrace new cultures. Bring it on!

How did you perceive Simpson Marine and the APAC region before you decided to join the company?

Simpson Marine has developed a strong and loyal team over the past four decades. The people are great, easy to work with and impassioned about yachts and the customer experience. And Asia Pacific is a gorgeous region with a sound infrastructure and customer base, ripe with potential for future growth and development. There isn’t a more exciting region to be at the moment.

What can we expect from you in your new role?

I will offer my expertise to help facilitate continual growth in a market that is expected to enter a cooling-down period soon. Simpson Marine already has an outstanding team spirit, but there’s always space for development – in any company. I like to foster an environment that inspires excellence, where everybody is happy and motivated and outperforming what they love doing.

What are the initial key drivers for Simpson Marine in Asia-Pacific in the coming years?

Our interest is in further developing the services that we offer – and hopefully add a few more to the portfolio. This will be part of a strategy to refine the client experience for existing and new customers. We also plan to consolidate our customer database and open new markets.

Which Asian destination do you enjoy the most – and why?

That’s a tough question. I’ve travelled extensively across the continent and spent time in Hong Kong, Singapore, Shenzhen, Sanya, Phuket, Pattaya, Port Dickenson, Taiwan and Jakarta. They’re all unique, nice and fascinating places. Picking a favourite is an impossible task.

When you’re not at your desk, where can we find you?

Hopefully, either on my bicycle or on a ski slope! I grew up in a small village in the Alps, not too far from Torino, and have a fond affinity for all winter sports. Otherwise, you might find me with a book, listening to music (heavy metal only!), or spending quality time with my family.

Have you set yourself any 2024 goals?

I’m looking forward to having fun with my team at Simpson Marine and achieving great results together. I will travel back and forth from Italy when possible to spend time with my family as much as possible. So, my big 2024 goal: survive the jetlag!