Billy Canellas
With a background as a professional sailor member of the Spanish National&Olimpic team and Yacht Master Captain. My education skills are in tourism and business management.
I have the know-how of succesfully founding and managing my own start-up company, Portbooker, that operated with online berth and yacht charter bookings worldwide. Experience leading large teams and worldclass waterfront real estate portfolios with a strong marina, F&B, retail and hospitality component.
During my career I have also obtained a strong knowledge on commercial negotiations, sales&marketing techniques and management of major international yachitng events such as the F1 in Yas Marina Abu Dhabi or the Adriatic MYBA International Superyacht Pop-up show.
I am ambitious, competitive, and driven with very high values. I enjoy challenges and delivering under pressure.
Key Achievements:
- May 2018-March 2022 GM of Yas Asset Management Group: Portfolio of ten properties that included 3 marinas with over 500 berths, 160 F&B units and GLA of over 40.000 sqm. During this period I successfully did the handover from construction pre-opening and opening of 4 new properties: Yas Bay (F&B 50 plus) and Marina, Yas Marina Dry Stack, West Yas Plaza Mall and Yas Arcade Mix usage office and retail.
- March 2017-May 2018 CEO “MARINA VELA BARCELONA”: Marina Vela was a new Superyacht marina and retail destination located in the heart of Barcelona. A 100M euro investment with 136 berths up to 100m, drystack for 222 boats and 50 units for retail and F&B. I successfully did the handover from contractor, pre-opening and opening.
- April 2013 – March 2017 GENERAL MANAGER “PORTO MONTENEGRO Yacht Club”: Porto Montenegro is the leading superyacht marina & village of the Mediterranean. A half billion-euro investment with over 400 luxury residences, 5 Star Hotel, Yacht Club, over 60 retail units and 450 berths.
During this period I also shared my GM role with the responsibilities of: “Director of the International MYBA Pop-Up Super Yacht Show“ and “Member of the Porto Montenegro Yacht Club Board“ .