Barbara Amerio wins the Excellence in Yachting Business award at the Impact Innovation Summit & Excellence Awards 2025, held in Riyadh. She runs Amer Yachts with her family, a shipyard in Sanremo, Italy. The award endorses the new developments related to minimizing carbon emissions she has brought into the company— Barbara’s vision as a CEO and an Impact maker in Yachting business are deeply inspiring. At Impact Innovation Summit and Excellence Awards, Barbara Amerio stands up as an advocate of sustainability in yachting industry and women leadership. With decades of efforts in controlling and reducing carbon emissions in the ocean, Barbara’s contribution towards maintaining an eco-friendly system is notable.
Her father, founder of the shipyard, is still considered a pioneer in the Italian yachting industry. This profound heritage pushed not only Barbara, but her entire family, to continue with the father’s work. As a result, Amer Yachts has emerged as a leader in innovation, advancing not only through cutting-edge design and technology but also by integrating sustainability into every step of its production. From minimizing fuel usage and emissions to trying circular economy practices, her modern approach is reshaping the concept of luxury yachting in a moment when the value is respecting the oceans and natural resources our planet has to offer.
Barbara’s achievement is proof that even business heavy on tradition can take a fresh look at their work.
Growing Up in the Yard
Barbara spent much of her childhood near boats. Her father, Mr. Fernando Amerio, founded the shipyard in the 1970s. As she got older, she began helping, eventually taking on more responsibility and learning trading practices. Thanks to her leadership skills, and the support of her family, nowadays the shipyard is not anymore a small business, instead it is a growing reality in the yachting industry.
Amer Yachts collaborates mainly with European clients. However, today it has an international clientele, including the U.S., the Middle East and parts of Asia.
Alongside her business role, she is active in several yachting industry organizations. She is also committed to programs that give more space to women in the business environment and supports direct training for students.
At both local and national level, Barbara has made history as the first female president in the Superyacht division of the Italian nautical industry association “Confindustria Nautica”, earning several international awards and career recognitions, particularly for her commitment to sustainability and responsible yachting.
What’s Changing at Amer Yachts
Since Barbara started leading the company, with the collaboration of her siblings, Dodo and Alessandra Amerio, the shipyard has tried new ways to reduce fuel pollution. They decided to build boats differently and sustainably, by using lighter materials and new technological engine systems. Additionally, the team is focused on implementing components that can be more efficiently recycled once the boats reach the end of their lifecycle.
They have even added systems helping to spot whales in the ocean, helping captains to avoid collisions and to collect helpful data used by scientists for their research. The changes they have made come from Barbara’s belief that performance and care for the sea can go hand in hand. The idea is not to cut corners, but to build smarter.
Barbara has also brought in young minds from design schools and universities to join firsthand projects at the shipyard. She gives students a chance to work beyond the classroom and to learn by practicing. This is why the third generation is already involved in the business. Mrs. Amerio emphasizes the importance of the younger generation embracing fundamental values such as respect for human rights, environment and mindful use of energy and resources. The Amer Yachts team is tightly knit, with long-standing stakeholders playing a key role in guiding the company’s growth and development over time.
Barbara speaking about the Award
Speaking after the event, Barbara said:
“It is a proud moment—not just for me, but for everyone who’s worked with me to make it possible. We have made changes slowly, but they have mattered. We still build with the same care, just with more advanced tools and a contemporary approach.”
She revealed that much of her inspiration comes from the time she spent with her family, with father, observing him fixing engines and hand-drawing boats’ components. Those formative experiences continue to influence her choices even now.
A Look at the Impact Innovation Summit Riyadh
The event in Riyadh brought together people with different, professional and personal, backgrounds and nationalities. The awards gave space to stories that might not always be told but still matter.
What made Barbara and her family’s company story different at the event was how quietly it had unfolded. Rather than making bog launches or impactful declarations, their story is gradual progress, focusing on integrating sustainable practices and prioritizing people.
At the summit, speakers encourage the audience to carry these ideas forward and to put them into practice in the real world. The focus is not only to reward them professionally, but to recognize the importance of their personal value.
