Costa Cruises has announced the appointment of Luigi Stefanelli as Associate Vice President for the Southern Europe Region, thus becoming responsible for the following markets: Italy, Spain, France and Portugal. In his new function, Stefanelli, supported by a high-profile management team, will aim to ensure the sustainable development of the region and its profitability.

Stefanelli gained important international professional experience at Costa Cruises, having worked in Asia and Europe where he achieved important results and assumed increasing responsibilities.
“I believe this appointment can give a great boost to the commercial development of the Southern Europe Region,” - said Roberto Alberti, Costa Cruises’ SVP & Chief Commercial Officer. “For us, these markets play a fundamental role and, thanks to the great international experience gained in recent years by Luigi, we are confident that we will be even more effective in the execution of our commercial strategy”.

In his new role, Stefanelli will extend his responsibility to Italy, maintaining his previous positions as General Manager Spain & Portugal and General Manager France. Carlo Schiavon will leave the role of Country Manager Italy to devote himself to a new personal project, but he will continue to co-operate with the company.

Stefanelli will count on a team of professionals with extensive experience in the sector. Specifically, the commercial areas are entrusted for Italy to Riccardo Fantoni, Sales Director Italy, who has held increasingly important roles within the commercial team and has distinguished himself for his great commitment and professionalism. For the French market, Stefanelli will be able to count on the invaluable support of Aurelie Soulat, Commercial Director France, who joined the company in 2022 and boasts a long professional career also in other tourism companies. Finally, Jorge Serrano, a veteran in the company and in the Spanish and Portuguese markets, is entrusted with the commercial leadership of these two countries as Sales Director as well. Stefanelli current reports outside the commercial area will remain unchanged.

Stefanelli started his career as a consultant at Ernst & Young Financial Business Advisor in Rome and then began his journey in the cruise industry in Genoa, in the Pricing & Revenue Management department of Costa Cruises.

Since the end of 2012 Luigi has held roles of increasing responsibility in different countries where the Italian company operates. First as Business Development & Pricing Director for the Asia Pacific & Australia area, living 3 years in Shanghai; then returning to Europe as General Manager for the Costa and AIDA brands for the Austrian & Swiss markets, and, after the extension of his responsibility to the markets of the Czech Republic, Slovakia, Slovenia and Hungary, as General Manager Central Europe.

At the end of 2019 Luigi became General Manager for Spain and Portugal, and finally for the past year he has been working as General Manager for Spain, France, and Portugal.

Luigi Stefanelli, a 38-year-old Neapolitan, has a degree in Business Administration and a Master’s degree in Corporate Financial Reporting. He is married and has two children.