Year after year, women in yachting have taken a larger and more significant role in the industry. They are emerging as powerful, effective, and efficient – as much as men in yachting, and have gone beyond the role of charter broker. Here, YATCO takes the time to get to know some of these women – whether they are yacht sales brokers, shipyard coordinators, charter brokers or marketing masters – you can get to know them all. Take a look at our first in the series of Women in Yachting, Eleonora Pitasso at BURGESS, below.
Featuring Eleonora Pitasso, Shipyard Relationship Coordinator and Sales Broker at BURGESS
What drew you to the yachting world?
My debut in the yachting industry wasn’t initially drawn on a clear path. In 2006 I moved to the French Riviera after my post-graduate studies for personal reasons and when looking into a job, I found that a yacht brokerage company in Monaco was advertising for a manager role. I was hired a few hours after my interview and never left the industry since.
How did you get your start in yachting?
My first job after university was into a small yacht brokerage company in Monaco with a corner office in Miami – I worked there for 6 years and learnt the ropes of the industry thanks to a very passionate boss, who let me discover the business in its various aspects: yacht sales, charter, project management and new construction process.
Who are some influential people in your life that you look up to?
I always consider my family as a lighthouse in the tempest. I’m an only daughter and my parents and relatives are my supporters. When I was younger, I had the chance to get inspired by my grandmothers, with opposite characters but both strong and loving.
I had the chance to meet a lot of influential political, diplomatic, and business figures in my academic studies: I observed them and been fascinated by their knowledge, their way of interacting with people and the charisma they were radiating.
With regards to my working life, I had a few mentors that led me to the job I have nowadays. In particular, I’ll never stop to thank Mr. Neil Moore, Burgess former Head of Charter Management and Mr. Richard Lambert, Burgess Head of Sales for taking the best out of me in these years and teaching me how to blend my passional personality into a knowledgeable professional.
What are some challenges you face and how do you overcome them?
The yachting industry is constantly dealing with issues of timing and flexibility. For those who enter a specific job, especially in commercial, technical, and operational roles, they need to accept last minute happenings, travels, changes of schedule. Exactly like those who cover yacht crew roles. It is not of an easy understanding and the challenge resides into trying to explain to people that cover standard roles in other industries how sometimes days and schedule can look like.
What are you currently working on and how do you stay inspired?
Like some of my friends and colleagues know, I’m saying that “sometimes I need a day of 48h” to complete everything I wish to complete.
I have a B2B and a B2C role in the company and both require attention and dedication at the same level. I’m also involved with MYBA, YPY and other industry non-profit organizations: I’ve always wished to give my contribution and I’ll continue to do so with much enthusiasm.
