Cast off! Interview with Sebastiano Pitasi from Engel & Völkers Yachting

There is no way to travel more exclusive and stylish than by superyacht. Sebastiano Pitasi, Head of Sales at Engel & Völkers Yachting on the French Riviera knows that. Since 2015, he has been advising clients from all over the world on how to fulfil their dreams of owning their own yacht, whether it be classing sailing yachts, modern motoryachts or impressive catamarans. 

In an interview, Pitasi reveals what real estate and yachting have in common, what his day-to-day work looks like and what role Instagram plays in it. 

Hello Mr. Pitasi, please introduce yourself briefly for our readers: 

S.P.: I started working for E&V Yachting in January 2015 as Yacht Advisor and now after almost five years with the company, I have been appointed as Head of Sales. In my day-to-day work, I help my team to set and to achieve their targets, give them my support in negotiations and at the same time I take care of my existing clientele. I was very attracted to join E&V Yachting because of its worldwide brand recognition, our network that places E&V Yachting in a unique position as its the only brokerage house with an extended network outside the yachting industry.

How do you think do real estate and yachting fit together?

S.P.: First of all, we need to keep in mind that all our divisions, Real Estate, Yachting & Aviation, we deal with the same clients. A client who can afford an exclusive property in an exclusive location is exactly the same client who can afford to charter a yacht. In addition, our research into the network has discovered that more than 50 % of superyacht owners are registered with Engel & Völkers worldwide.

Do you have a boat licence or are you a passionate sailor? 

S.P.:  I enjoy spending as much time as possible on board sailing with friends. I remember when I was a child I woud go fishing during the weekends with my father on a small six meter boat. Today I have reached my dream to spend time on board some of the most exclusive yachts in the world. 

You regularly post content about your work on social media – how do you think this contributes to your work? 

S.P.: The advent of social media is rewriting the way people are communicating and connecting between them, a lot of my clients prefer to message through WhatsApp rather than sending an email. It’s faster and at your fingertips. Social media is an efficient way to promote yachts and the yachting lifestyle. 

The tag “yacht” on Instagram generates over five million results, this means that social media can also be a way to attract new clients into the market, in particular the younger generations. Also, sharing the yachting lifestyle experience, new destinations, the activities you can have on board a yacht, will help in opening the yachting world to new charter clients.

How did you come up with the idea of using social media for professional purposes?

S.P.: I began spending more and more time on Social Media publishing mostly personal content and at a certain moment, I thought why not use these tools for my professional life? 

I saw an opportunity to do something different, an additional tool to present my listings and to share my passion and my profession with future clients and a more global audience, at the same time allowing me to engage directly with them. 

Do you still have the possibility for a healthy work-life-balance in times when social media is also used for professional purposes?

S.P.:Yes absolutely! I believe that human relationships are still the most important part of our life. During the week and on weekends, I try to dedicate few moments of the day to social media without compromising my free time.

And how do you decide which content to post and which not?

S.P.: Yachting is very emotional. I always try to deliver content to my followers that spark emotions. I also enjoy sharing my passion with people who are new to yachting,which is why I incorpoate facts and market trends so my following can lean along the way. 

Sebastiano Pitasi and his colleagues from Engel & Völkers Yachting, will advise you competently and help you find the ideal yacht for your requirements, but also advise you on itineraries and guarantee planning down to the last detail for your yacht charter. So you can fully concentrate on enjoying the time onboard without worries.

We look forward to hearing from you.