When the news broke at the recent Dusseldorf Boat Show that yachting titan Ferretti Group had made a major investment in one of the most dynamic, innovative and flat-out sexy yacht companies—Wally—I wasn’t really surprised.
By adding Wally to it’s already stacked portfolio of companies, through an exclusive license agreement of the Wally brand, the Group further expands it’s range of ultraluxe products and becomes one of the most diverse and innovative yacht company in yacht crazy-Italy.
According to Ferretti, the license agreement represents a fundamental step in the brand acquisition process and allows the Group to work immediately on the further development of the brand. I also had a feeling something was up the last time I interviewed Wally’s founder and owner Luca Bassani in Monaco. I had a feeling he was excited about a future that involved a deal like this that says between now and 2022, Ferretti Group will invest over 84 million euros (70 million euros in the first two years) in the development of the brand and in the design and construction of new product ranges. The new Wally models will be built at the Ferretti Group shipyards, in particular the Super Yacht Yard in Ancona will be the reference plant for Wally’s largest yachts.
During the Düsseldorf press conference, Ferretti Group also announced that their first project of the new era will be 48 Wallytender, that’s scheduled to debut at the Cannes Yachting Festival this Fall.
"There has long been a mutual fascination between us and Wally, said Alberto Galassi, CEO of Ferretti Group when the deal was announced. “From today we will continue to develop this extraordinary brand with method, vision and investments. And with the same energy and creativity that have lead Ferretti Group the top of the yachting world. As yachting enthusiast, I’m looking forward to discover the boats that will come from the exclusive collaboration with Luca Bassani: it is easy to foresee that they will push the frontiers of innovation and aesthetic avant-garde to new echelon."
"The market today requires significant investments to develop new products and new markets,” Luca Bassani, founder of Wally adds. “Ferretti Group has great industrial, organizational and commercial capabilities and will be able to boost Wally. I will continue my design and development activity on an exclusive basis, ensuring the continuity of Wally's DNA. All the years and the effort to build the brand will have a continuation. I could not wish anything better for Wally's life.”
And that my friends, is very good news for anyone who appreciates innovative yachts that turn heads where ever they go.
