Ferretti: FIH (Weichai) submits slate for the Board, nine members and Tan Ning as Chairman
Ahead of the Annual General Meeting scheduled for May 14, 2026, Ferretti International Holding S.p.A. (FIH), controlled by the Weichai group, has submitted its slate of candidates for the renewal of the Board of Directors of Ferretti S.p.A., together with the related draft resolutions. The announcement comes just hours after that of the other player aiming to gain control of the Forlì-based group, namely KKCG Maritime, owned by Czech entrepreneur Karel Komárek.
FIH, which holds 133,805,907 shares corresponding to 39.531% of the share capital, proposes a nine-member board with a three-year term, until approval of the financial statements as of December 31, 2028.
Tan Ning, also known as Tonny Tan, is indicated as Chairman. According to PressMare sources, he is reportedly related to Tan Xuguang, who, in addition to serving as Chairman of Weichai until 2024, was instrumental in enabling the acquisition of the Ferretti Group in 2012. Tan Ning therefore represents a figure closely aligned with the controlling shareholder and is expected to play a central role in the Group’s governance.
The composition of the board reflects a heterogeneous structure, combining industrial, financial and institutional experience at a global level. Alongside Tan Ning are Patrick Sun and Stassi Anastassov, the latter a manager with significant international experience gained at the top of Procter & Gamble and as CEO of Duracell. The shareholder-linked component is completed by Zhang Xiaomei and Jin Zhao. The non-executive component includes Federica Marchionni, former CEO of global brands such as Lands’ End and with senior roles at Ferrari and Dolce & Gabbana.
Among the independent directors, the slate includes Donatella Sciuto, Rector of the Politecnico di Milano, Marina Berlinghieri, with significant institutional experience as a former Member of Parliament, and Zhu Yi. Overall, the proposed board appears oriented toward a global group governance approach rather than a strictly yachting-focused specialization, consistent with the international positioning envisioned by the Chinese shareholder for Ferretti.
From a governance standpoint, the proposal clearly identifies the Chairman but does not formally indicate a Chief Executive Officer. Looking at the profiles included in the slate, Stassi Anastassov might appear as a potential candidate to succeed the current CEO, Alberto Galassi. However, considering that Weichai’s corporate practice typically assigns the CEO appointment to the Board once established, even Anastassov currently appears to have limited chances for the role.
At present, there are therefore no official or unofficial indications regarding the name that Weichai/FIH intends to propose for the Group’s executive leadership. Nonetheless, it is possible to outline some scenarios based on governance logic and the group’s industrial track record.
The slate consists primarily of institutional, financial and board-level profiles, with no clear candidate matching the typical profile of a CEO for a complex industrial group such as Ferretti, which requires expertise in shipbuilding, luxury manufacturing, global distribution, supply chain, R&D and brand management. This suggests that the CEO may be selected from outside the proposed list.
Looking at Weichai’s track record in other holdings, two recurring models can be identified: a sector-specific CEO with strong experience in luxury, automotive, yachting or premium manufacturing; or a trusted manager already operating within the Weichai/SHIG/FIH ecosystem, not necessarily Italian.
The most likely profile for Ferretti’s executive leadership would therefore be an international manager with experience in luxury manufacturing, global commercial networks, a strong industrial background, and the ability to lead technological transitions such as hybridisation, electrification and digitalisation.
It is also possible that Weichai has already internally identified a candidate but may choose to announce it only after the new Board of Directors has been formally appointed, in line with practices already adopted in other cases. Among the proposals submitted by FIH are also the determination of the number of directors at nine and a three-year term. From a financial standpoint, an annual remuneration of €40,000 is proposed for each board member, excluding any additional compensation for specific roles.
The shareholders’ meeting on May 14 will be called to resolve on the renewal of the Board of Directors and related proposals, in what represents a key phase for defining the Group’s governance structure.
Beyond formal aspects, the central issue remains the strategic direction: continuity in management or a shift toward a more international and managerial model. A decision that could impact not only internal organization but also Ferretti’s competitive positioning in the global high-end yachting market.
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