MSC Cruises is a cruise line based in Geneva, Switzerland. As an Italian, however, let me say that his roots and heart definitely remain Italian.
It was founded in 1988 in Naples, and in a very short time has become one of the most important cruise lines in the world.
Just think that to date it has 19 ships, many of them among the largest in the world, and employs over 30,000 people.
But who is the man behind this success? Who is the owner of MSC?
The founder of MSC
The founder and owner of MSC is Italian billionaire Gianluigi Aponte, who owns the company along with his family, which includes his wife Rafaela, daughter Alexa, and son Diego.
Aponte is one of the richest Italians and is ranked 48th on the list of the 100 richest people in the world, according to Forbes.
A truly astonishing achievement if you think he only owns 50 percent of the company, while the other family members own the rest.
How did Aponte achieve these results, considering that he did not come from a particularly wealthy family?
The success of his ships
Gianluigi Aponte started his business in the shipping industry in 1970.
He was already a captain when he decided to buy a second-hand German ship. From that, he started the business of cargo shipping between Europe and Africa.
The shipping business has done so well that to date, Mediterranean Shipping Company, the parent company of MSC Cruises, has a total of 510 cargo ships.
In 1988, Aponte had another brilliant intuition, which was to enter the cruise industry.
Even then MSC proved to be a solid company and in a few years became the fourth largest player in the industry, after Carnival, Norwegian, and Royal Caribbean.
Who is the CEO of MSC Cruises?
Gianluigi Aponte has now reached the ripe old age of 83. Of course, he still remains the main face of the company and is recognized worldwide for being the boss of MSC.
However, the role of CEO of MSC Cruises is held by Gianni Onorato. He was chosen specifically for his great experience in the cruise industry.
Just think that for many years he was the general manager of Costa Cruises, so he knows the Italian and world cruise market very well.
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