Costa Cruises announces significant changes to its organization globally, in order to prepare for the resumption of its cruises and its long-term growth.
Mario Zanetti has been promoted to President of Costa Cruises, assuming a role that had been temporarily filled by Michael Thamm, CEO of the Costa & Carnival Asia Group. In his new position, Zanetti will oversee Costa as a brand worldwide, including in Asia, with the aim of guiding the Italian company to strengthen its leadership in Europe, South America, and Asia, and ensure long-term profitable
and sustainable growth.
At the same time, Roberto Alberti has been appointed Chief Commercial Officer (COO) of Costa Cruises, a position previously held by Mario Zanetti. Roberto Alberti will be responsible for global commercial operations, including worldwide sales and marketing, reporting to Mario Zanetti.
Both Mario Zanetti and Roberto Alberti will be based at Costa Cruises' headquarters in Genoa.
“The pause in our ship operations has been an opportunity to work on improving Costa’s organization to make our company stronger, ready to restart with renewed energy, a clear business strategy, and a greater focus on the customer,” said Michael Thamm, CEO of Costa Group and Carnival Asia. “We look to the future with optimism. With this new organization, we have the right people and skills to succeed in developing innovative strategies to attract and retain our customers through every channel and every source market.”.
Mario Zanetti has extensive experience with Costa, beginning in 1999 in the Revenue Management unit, which he led to excellence over the years. In 2017, he was appointed President of Costa Asia, where he demonstrated exceptional leadership, transforming Costa's business. Since July 2020, he has been back in Genoa as Commercial Director of Costa Cruises Europe, showcasing keen decision-making and vision during these challenging months.
With a career at Costa Cruises spanning over 15 years, Roberto Alberti rose through the ranks, holding various positions of increasing responsibility both in Italy and abroad. In 2016, he joined the CEO's Office, reporting to Michael Thamm, CEO of the Costa Group & Carnival Asia. Following his tenure as VP of Strategic Development, in 2019 he was appointed SVP & Chief Strategy Officer of the Costa Group, contributing to the definition of a sustainable development plan, the global market strategy, and brand positioning.
