MB92, the Barcelona shipyard for refit and repair of luxury yachts, has been in the spotlight these last weeks as a consequence of the war in Ukraine and the sanctions that the European Union has imposed on Russian oligarchs. These businessmen, owners of some of the most exclusive and expensive boats in the world, are regular clients of the company to tune up their vessels. One of these yachts, the Valerie, belonging to magnate Sergei Chemezov, was in MB92's facilities in the Port of Barcelona when it was temporarily seized by the authorities.
Coinciding with this episode, MB92 has just announced the appointment of Jean-Marc Bolinger as the group's new CEO. This is a signing that has been in the making for months and, according to consulted sources, is not related to these events, although it is obvious that the new executive will have to focus a good part of his efforts on diversifying the client portfolio and minimizing the impact of the Russian crisis on the company's bottom line. In 2020, MB92 invoiced close to 68 million euros, 20% less due to the incidence of the pandemic. However, in 2021, the group's sales strongly recovered, with revenues reaching around 190 million.
Until now, MB92's CEO was businessman Pepe García-Aubert, who will retain the group's executive presidency and continue to lead the board of directors. According to the company, the incorporation of Bolinger aims to strengthen the management structure of a group that has grown from 238 to 330 employees in three years and that, in addition to its Barcelona facilities, has another reference shipyard for superyachts in the French port of La Ciotat.
"I am very pleased that Jean-Marc has accepted this exciting challenge. He is in a unique position to bring a new perspective to our continuously developing sector and will be able to apply his valuable knowledge of the service industry to our growing group," said García-Aubert.
Of Swiss origin, Bolinger has developed his professional career over 30 years in sectors linked to logistics, consumer goods, food, fashion, and sporting goods. He has worked on three continents for companies such as Elco, Danone, and Primo Corporation. In recent years, he has served as an advisor to private equity firms, a role that led him to come into contact and work for the first time for MB92 in 2021, when he was commissioned to identify and develop synergies between the shipyards of Barcelona and La Ciotat.
"MB92 Group is embarked on an exciting journey, and I am honored by the opportunity to work alongside Pepe and his team in this transition. My first priority will be to ensure a smooth transition for the group's clients, employees, and partners," Bolinger stated. For his part, José Caireta, founding partner of Squircle Capital, owner of the shipyard since 2019, highlighted that "MB92 grew to become the world's leading company in the refit industry under Pepe's direction" and that now Bolinger's incorporation will help "to preserve this leadership position in the coming years."