Paolo Vitelli

Paolo Vitelli (4 October 1947 – 31 December 2024) was an Italian businessman, the founder in 1969 of the motor yacht company Azimut. He was president of Azimut Benetti Group.

From March 2013 to September 2015, he was a member of parliament in Italy’s Legislature XVII, after being elected to the Civic Choice List with Monti for Italy. Vitelli was also Honorary Consul of Norway from 1974 to 2018.

Career

Businessman Paolo Vitelli graduated in June 1970 with a degree in economics and business, after a four-year course of study. His business career began in March 1969 when he set up Azimut, a pleasure boats rental business, using money saved while working student jobs (50,000 old Italian lires ) or after selling the nightclub Tempio Sei he had founded with his friends. and changed its name to Azimut|Benetti, a company specialized in building superyachts for the super-rich.

Honours 1996: Cavaliere del lavoro (Order of Merit for Labour) 2004: Honorary degree in mechanical engineering from Politecnico di Torino 2006: Confindustria “Champions of growth” award as best Italian business in the five-year period 2001-2006 in terms of growth, innovation and internationalisation; 2011: Amis de la Vallée d’Aoste for his contribution to the development of tourism in various locations by creating quality hotels in old rural buildings. 2017: Carlo Riva Award for entrepreneur of the year

Publications