Barbara Amerio Wins Excellence in Yachting Business Award at Riyadh Summit

Barbara Amerio won the Excellence in Yachting Business award at the Impact Innovation Summit & Excellence Awards 2025, held in Riyadh. The award was given for the changes she’s brought into Amer Yachts, especially in how they build their yachts and think about their impact on the sea.

Barbara’s achievement is proof that even businesses heavy on tradition can take a fresh outlook at their work.

Growing Up in the Yard

Barbara spent much of her childhood near boats. Her father ran a small shipyard that he built from the ground up in the 1970s. As she got older, she began helping out, eventually taking on more responsibility and learning the trade firsthand.

She’s helped shift how the business is seen—not just as a luxury brand, but as a company trying to do right by its craft and the environment. Over the years, Barbara has helped the company grow beyond Italy. Today, Amer Yachts works with clients in the U.S., the Middle East, and parts of Asia.

Alongside her business role, she backs programs that give more space to women in marine and design fields, and supports hands-on training for students.

What’s Changing at Amer Yachts

Since Barbara took over, the shipyard has tried new ways to cut fuel use and lower waste. They’ve adjusted how they build the boats, used lighter materials, and tested engine systems that use less power. The team is also looking into parts that are easier to recycle when the boats reach the end of their life.

The company has even added systems that help spot whales at sea, helping captains avoid collisions and collect data that scientists can use. The changes they’ve made come from Barbara’s belief that performance and care for the sea can go hand in hand. The idea isn’t to cut corners—it’s to build smarter.

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.

Barbara has also brought in young minds from design schools and universities to join hands-on projects at the yard. It gives students a chance to work beyond the classroom.

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 on the Award

Speaking after the event, Barbara said:

“It’s a proud moment—not just for me, but for everyone who’s worked beside me over the years. We’ve made changes slowly, but they’ve mattered. We still build with the same care, just with better tools and more thought about the future.”

She also shared that many of her ideas were shaped by time spent with her father, watching him repair engines and sketch boat parts by hand. That early learning still guides her decisions today.

What made Barbara’s story different at the event is having a leading Female Ceo of a family company founded more than 50 years ago where three generations have been working in harmony to produce high Italian quality superyachts rooted in sustainability.