CBS Yachts Launches Under MMC Holding with the Group’s Expertise & Agenda

You know CBS Yachts is a new wave of luxury!

We wish to welcome you to CBS Yachts today. And this is where your luxury meets maritime excellence! We are situated in the bustling maritime hub of Piraeus, Greece. And this is from where our MMC Group Holding operates globally, with our offices in Dubai and Beirut as well. Are you familiar with our Group and our services? Perhaps through our representation of the INSB Greek Classification Society and various maritime flags, we represent? We’re excited to announce that our Group is expanding its footprint in the superyacht industry. Here, at CBS Yachts, we pride ourselves on combining luxury with maritime expertise.

We are following our series of interviews with key figures, such as the one we’ve recently had with the CEO of the Group Mr. George Zervos. Indeed, we are happy that Mr. Zervos is crafting a New Chapter for MMC Group Holding. And this is of course with the launching of CBS YACHTS.

CBS Yachts the Superyacht dedicated Entity of MMC Group Holding

So, today we are honored to discuss with Captain Manos Tzimpimpakis. Captain Manos is the General Manager of two Group entities, GMZ Ship Management (GMZ Hellas) and CBS Yachts as you know. And it is Captain Manos who oversees a fleet of over 40 ships already. We are happy that Captain Manos is leading our CBS Yachts, the new entity dedicated to all Superyacht schemes. Happily, our discussion will make us listen to his insights and learn more about the new brand in the international yachting market.

We are Converting leisure trips into attractive investments for our clients

Captain Manos, could you start by sharing your background in vessel retrofits and how this experience led you to new opportunities with CBS Yachts, particularly in sustainability projects and brokerage schemes?

I am happy to talk for our CBS Yachts. Please let me tell you that in my journey within the maritime industry, I’ve cultivated a diverse expertise. This was particularly in vessel retrofits, focusing on the conversion of ships into luxury vessels. And certainly this work extends beyond mere aesthetics; surely it integrates sustainable practices that also align perfectly with our goals at CBS Yachts. We serve all kinds of brokerage and charter schemes, and all are meticulously designed to ensure that our yachts not only meet the highest standards of luxury. But they also embrace sustainability, thereby enhancing their looks as lucrative investments for our clients.

You’ve mentioned revolutionizing past yachting services. How does CBS Yachts plan to become a competitive player in the superyacht market with a professional structure and carefully selected team?

You know at CBS Yachts, our mission is clear: We redefine the superyacht market by offering unparalleled 24/7 butler service without constraints; along with access to a global fleet, important information, and strategic connections. Together with my partners, I’ve meticulously assembled a team of industry experts, each with stellar records and a shared vision for fostering healthy competition. I believe this professional framework instills confidence in our ability to deliver superior service to our esteemed clientele. Our clients include CEOs, entrepreneurs, and luxury travelers who value our swift, premier-quality service, exceptional offers, and impeccable yacht options.

We think that by reconnecting and leveraging existing relationships before developing new ones, we can be part of the new era in Superyachting. This implies we are also open to partnerships, professional improvement, and development. We now start proud of the experience and dedication of our team, both keys to our expected success. There are some key elements to make our brand destined to blossom.

CBS Yachts aims to replicate the success of GMZ Ship Management. How do you plan to integrate sustainability projects and capitalize on opportunities within the EU for marine sustainability?

Our vision for CBS Yachts is broad. We strive to offer competitive services that build a loyal customer base, similar to GMZ Ship Management. Sustainability is central to our operations. We are involved in the EU-funded LEMURIA project, which focuses on developing a floating port and hydrogen production and storage. This project supports our sustainability goals and positions us as leaders in the blue economy in the East Med and Middle East. Our long-term aim is to convert preowned yachts into eco-friendly vessels, collaborating with relevant authorities.

What do you believe is the magic sauce to CBS Yachts’ potential success?

To craft a timeline for CBS Yachts’ destined success, it’s essential to start with our foundational model. We’ve tested our yachting services extensively through our close relationships and trust with existing clientele in other ventures. This in-house yachting segment naturally evolved into CBS Yachts, driven by a handpicked, dedicated team of leaders who are esteemed figures in the Superyachting industry. This startup is bolstered by the confidence of our partners and my past successes.

The cornerstone of our success lies in our group’s internal agenda to harness, evaluate, and cultivate opportunities, alongside identifying promising new clientele through our bases and satellite offices.

Agenda, Team, Unity

Equally significant is the shared vision and principles among my partners and team. The chemistry and collective past successes foster an altruistic mentality. We operate as a cohesive team, sharing information, access, and operational insights.

Under the leadership of Mr. George Zervos and in partnership with Richard Medawar, who has invaluable access to the Middle East maritime stakeholders, CBS Yachts ensures alignment with our supreme quality service principles.

Finally, our ingenious legal team, led by Anna Psichogiou, provides us with the comfort of comprehensive contracts and confidentiality agreements. They ensure regulatory compliance and offer strategic advice on environmental laws, tax benefits, and financial logistics. This legal acumen allows for smooth transactions, ensuring peace of mind for buyers, sellers, and investors alike. At CBS, we are dedicated to evaluating strategic legal advice to drive business expansion through mergers, acquisitions, partnerships, and new market entries.

Why did you debut the company in Summer 2024?

I’m happy you mentioned. CBS Yachts debuted in the summer of 2024 for strategic reasons. This timing was indeed deliberately chosen. And this was to meticulously observe and test our model in real time. I can tell we needed to gather crucial data and observe our market before any partnerships and our successes. Moreover, we also needed to evaluate our approach before committing to substantial investments or partnerships. And we strongly believe that by planning meticulously, we could maximize our impact precisely during the peak yachting season. Maybe more effectively reach our target audience while scheduling charters for our clients, or, by reconsidering the size of their existing yacht. Additionally, I believe this strategic timing allowed us to fine-tune our operations and align our services with market demands; thus ensuring a strong market entry and positioning for growth.

The summer season is when our clients, predominantly from the shipping and trading industry, are most active. Consistently bringing up their last-minute inquiries for their lifestyle ventures. And it’s true, our clientele encompasses the established clientele of our parent company. As you might know already, this is a distinguished maritime group with our 17 entities and our solid clientele basis. Of course, we are prospecting as well as new customers. In general, we target all deeply enthusiastic about the yachting lifestyle. We invest a lot in technology and all methods to reach our target group.

Why headquartered in Greece? Because you live mostly in Greece?

By September, we will proceed with confidence, and ensure our model remains robust with our strategies well-defined. Despite our home base in Greece, our business agenda is truly international. And we travel extensively to connect with clients and friends. Moreover, we organize roadshows with our partners and attend numerous forums, shows, and exhibitions. We certainly, inspect yachts and crew teams. And then, we also join our flying teams as needed to meet Owners, Investors, and Technical Representatives worldwide.

I believe Greece, however, provides an exceptional setting. Its light, calm blue seas, and pristine white landscapes offer us a unique inspiration. The simplicity of life here, along with our stunning islands just a breath away from Athens, creates an ideal environment. Moreover, the diverse landscapes make Greece a yachting destination comparable to other renowned spots. You can now compare Greece with the Côte d’Azur, the Italian Riviera, Sardinia, the Balearic Islands, and the Caribbean. In addition to the natural beauty, Greece is moving forward to the future and with its new projects such as ‘the Ellinikon’, we expect new opportunities in our yachting industry as well.

We will reveal our expansion plans in due time. For now, we appreciate your support and wish us success and fair winds.

Wish us success and fair winds

As a proud member of the CBS Yachts Team, I look forward to continuing this discussion with Captain Manos Tzimpimpakis. I know there are still a few more questions to address. However, let’s schedule the second interview for later in the summer. For now, Captain Manos has provided valuable insights into the pragmatic and forward-thinking approach to the Superyacht industry. We admire Captain Manos’ expertise in vessel retrofits, coupled with a strong commitment to sustainability and innovation. Also with a sharp eye while seeking talents. We believe these qualities position CBS Yachts as a promising player among large yacht management houses.

As MMC Holding Group continues to expand, we are confident that CBS Yachts will redefine standards in our superyacht market. We are a dedicated team with a clear vision. And, we strongly believe our future looks promising for this new venture. Moreover, we, the brokers in CBS Yachts, aim to blend luxury seamlessly with our environmental implementations, ensuring sustainability is at the forefront of our operations.

Contact Us to discuss any Superyacht facet, we will be happy to serve you: team@cbsyachts.com
More links: https://mmcgroupholding.com/  https://gmzhellas.com  Follow our CBS Yachts on Linkedin.