Mario Zanetti is CEO of Costa Crociere and previously President since March 2021 and Chief Commercial Officer since August 2020. From 1 January 2024 he has assumed the role of President of Confitarma, the Italian Shipowners’ Association for the four-year period 2024-2028 and for the same four-year period since 23 May 2024 he has been nominated by the Confindustria President Delegated for the Blue Economy.
In his career Zanetti led Costa’s operations in Asia for 4 years, from 2016 to 2020. In parallel, during the period May 2015 to November 2016, he served as Chairman of the Board of Directors of Geo
S.p.A. and CEO of Welcome Travel Group S.p.A.
In his current role he oversees Costa’s fleet operating in Europe, South America and Asia, as well as all the commercial offices worldwide.
Zanetti has a long standing and successful history within Costa, starting in 1999 in the Revenue Management Department. He held different key positions with entrepreneurial and leadership capabilities and in 2012 was promoted SVP Revenue Management, Air & Sea and Itinerary
Planning, becoming responsible for constantly improving revenues and for maximizing Vessels’ occupancy.
In 2017 he was appointed also President of Costa Asia, with focus on Greater China and Japan, where he redesigned the organization and significantly improved the local commercial and financial performances, strengthening Carnival Corporation’s leadership in the region.
At the beginning of 2024 he was unanimously appointed President by the members of Confitarma’s the leading association of Shipowners. On May 23, 2024, the Assembly of Confindustria, the main organization representing Italian manufacturing and service companies, approved his appointment as the President’s Delegate for the Blue Economy for the four-year period 2024-2028.
He was born in Cogoleto (Genoa) in 1971. He holds a degree in Maritime and Transport Economics from the University of Genoa and completed his education by participating in general management programs at INSEAD Business School.