The Enduring Value of Personal Connections in a Digitised World

The proliferation of video conferencing services and its embedment into the day-to-day has helped us to remain connected and integrated over the last few years. In many cases, this has facilitated to permanent shifts in the way business organise and operate. The benefits are obvious, with time and money saved on travel and more flexibility to organise global meetings.

Some relationships, however, require a more personal approach. Designing a bespoke superyacht is a process that evolves through close collaboration with the Owner.

Australian yacht designer Sam Sorgiovanni has been the creative force behind iconic superyachts including Nirvana, Secret, Barbara and White Rabbit. While based in Perth, Sorgiovanni is committed to meeting his clients wherever they may be, and insists he is never any more than a day away.

“The designer that’s able to get in front of the Owner has an obvious advantage,” explains Sam Sorgiovanni. “It’s just the way it is, it’s human nature.”

After the long list of successful projects and awards, Sorgiovanni Designs is still very much a personal brand. “The way I like to work with clients is that I’m the person that is in primary contact with the client. It’s my business and my name, the clients expect that they get me and they do. It’s why I say that unless there’s a direct conflict in my schedule, I’ll be there when they need.”

Rather than scaling up to take on as many projects as possible, Sam’s focus is to remain more specialised, working on only three or four staggered projects at a time. This way, Sam says, he ensures that he can personally meet the demands of each client and their project.

Building a superyacht is an extremely personal journey and experience. As a designer, Sam is entrusted with turning an Owner’s vision into a floating reality. To achieve this end, Sam Sorgiovanni believes in the importance of meeting in-person to best understand each client’s individual dream.  

“I think it’s very important to be one-on-one with the client to get a good feel for one another’s personality and everything else that goes along with it. I think that personal touch and contact is very important still. Establishing that connection is the essence of a project.”

Sam’s clients could each be in different continents, with different lifestyles to work around, yet the time and effort of travelling for meetings is Sam’s choice to make sure he takes the care to truly understand the Owner’s wants and requirements.

Once Sam has made the connection with a client, video calls do then have a role to play in streamlining the process between design team, shipyard and Owner.

“What the pandemic has helped with is that we’re all much more comfortable with video conferences and I think even in the design process it allows more in-between meetings with clients.

“In the mechanics of a project there’s definitely a role for video conferencing to streamline the process with the client and most definitely with the shipyard. We can send the design package and then present over video in front of a boardroom. Though ultimately, it is still always beneficial to have that personal interaction.”

Although Sam will always be directly client-facing with the Owner of each project, his team at Sorgiovanni Designsworks closely with the shipyards.

“With every project you have the relationship with the client, and then the relationship with the build team is another. Your people and staff can have more direct one-on-one with their counterpart at the shipyard, and that’s where I step away to focus on clients.

“My plan moving forward is to have people who are part of the Sorgiovanni Designs team strategically located where they’re needed. By being in Germany, Holland, France, and Dubai, they can be closer to the shipyards and able to meet more regularly without a drain on resources.”

For Sam himself, opening an office in the yachting capital of Monaco in 2019 was a significant move to establish a permanent base from which he can engage personally with clients.

“The idea moving forward is for myself to be client-focused, and the Monaco base allows me to spend more time with clients in the area, particularly around certain times of year for instance during the Grand Prix or Mediterranean season.”

Although Sam’s location in Perth has never hindered any of the superyacht projects he has delivered in the past, this growth of a more global presence is in line with his commitment to providing a bespoke service for his clients.

Next month, Sam will be returning to the Monaco Yacht Show to give another presentation at the Yacht Design & Innovation Hub. Last year, the announcement of Sorgiovanni Designs’ 96m hydrogen-powered superyacht concept, ZeRo, grabbed the headlines at the Show.

Catering to the evolving requirements of modern owners, the forward-thinking propulsion system would eliminate carbon emissions without sacrificing any aspect of performance for long-range cruising. Typical of a Sorgiovanni design, ZeRo offers exquisitely crafted open guest spaces and an elegant profile which would be sure to draw plenty of admiration wherever she may venture.

With plenty other exciting projects in development with shipyards across the world, including a number of stunning concepts in the Echo Yachts Design Collection, Sorgiovanni Designs remains among the leaders in innovative yacht design.

We look forward to connecting personally with Sam Sorgiovanni at the Monaco Yacht Show this year.