Interviewed on Sep 24, 2024
Gaëlle holds a Master's degree in Business & Marketing from Skema Business School. She discovered her passion for events during her studies, organizing a national student theatre festival.
Gaëlle Tallarida has been the Managing Director of the Monaco Yacht Show since 2010. She has been a member of the Monaco Yacht Show organizing team since 1998.
Under her leadership, the Monaco Yacht Show has become the leading international superyachting event. For 33 years, the Monaco Yacht Show has made a significant contribution to promoting the Principality of Monaco as the yachting capital of the world. It is also one of the Principality's two flagship events in terms of economic appeal.
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Can you introduce yourself by sharing your name, where you're from, your role in the yachting industry, and the company you work for?
I am originally from the town of Cap d'Ail, near the Principality of Monaco. I feel like I'm from Monaco because I went to school there and spent more time in Monaco than in France. My passion for organizing events began at a very early age, with a memorable experience in business school where I organized a national theatre festival for students from business and engineering schools. This initial thrill for event coordination naturally led me to extend my ambition to work for a world-class event. I’m the Managing Director of the Monaco Yacht Show.
Can you share how you first got involved in the yachting industry?
I've been in the yachting business for 25 years. I was given the opportunity to join the Monaco Yacht Show in 1998 after completing my Master's in Business & Marketing at Skema Business School. At that time, the team consisted of three people, myself included!
At the end of the 8th Monaco Yacht Show in 1998, there wasn't enough work for three people all year round, so I worked for another event organizer in Cannes before MYS called me back in the spring of 1999, when I joined the team full-time.
I've done just about every job in the organizing team: project assistant, event coordinator, and Chief Operating Officer. Becoming Managing Director in 2010 allowed me to channel that passion into making the Monaco Yacht Show the leading event in the superyacht sector. I'm proud to combine my passion for event planning with the dynamic world of yachting.
Can you describe your role and the key tasks you handle? What does your job entail on a daily basis?
My main task is to oversee the entire event. Organizing such a prestigious show requires meticulous planning from start to finish. I work closely with our dedicated teams to ensure everything runs smoothly and meets our high standards. I also stay in constant contact with exhibitors, partners, and local institutions to ensure a seamless experience. My focus is on keeping the show at the forefront of the yachting industry, ensuring it evolves with the market while always delivering the best quality.
Could you walk us through a typical workday, including your main tasks and projects?
Firstly, I manage the Monaco Yacht Show (MYS) SAM on behalf of its shareholder, the Informa Group. This includes all the responsibilities of a company's managing director, regardless of the company's activity, such as financial and budgetary management, human resources management, and more.
At the same time, I’m responsible for organizing MYS, ensuring that the annual schedule for the event is adhered to. The exhibition team is made up of 20 people, including 7 who manage the business areas for which MYS is responsible. We handle everything from A to Z—marketing, communication, technical installation of the event, and management of partners and private clients. There’s never a dull moment!
I keep a close eye on developments in each area of activity and make strategic decisions. Additionally, I’m in charge of discussions with Monaco’s government authorities. MYS is a very complex event to organize due to its location in the center of a city that needs to function as normally as possible despite the setup of the show. We are deploying 12,000m² of stands on the quays of the Port of Hercules, which is home to 550 companies. It’s a real logistical feat.
Can you describe what it's like to work at the Monaco Yacht Show SAM? What is the work environment and company culture like?
Each MYS is unique and presents different challenges, making it a highly precise and demanding job. Innovation and excellence are the pillars of MYS. Organizing the world’s greatest on-land and in-water superyacht event in the heart of one of the smallest countries presents unique challenges that require unparalleled logistical precision. Coordinating such a massive event in Monaco involves close collaboration with local institutions, port authorities, and event suppliers to ensure everything runs smoothly, from the setup of the exhibition space to the management of visitor flow. Our goal is to deliver an extraordinary show while ensuring that the daily life of Monaco’s residents remains as undisturbed as possible. This delicate balance demands meticulous planning and a strong partnership with the local community, making the Monaco Yacht Show a remarkable feat of coordination and excellence.
What would you consider your biggest accomplishment or proudest moment in the yachting industry?
To be honest, every year I’m very proud of what my team and I are able to achieve together. The day before the show opens, I take a high view of the Port of Hercules and am amazed by the beauty of the show and the yachts on display. Nowhere else in the world is there such a show, and it’s thanks to the confidence of the yachting industry and our hard work over a full year that MYS is what it is: it’s THE yacht show!
However, there was one year in particular that stood out for me because of the difficulties we all had to face on a personal level, as well as on a professional level for MYS: it was 2021. COVID had literally brought the world to a halt in 2020, allowing us to take a long, hard look at how we could speed up improvements to the show. However, the epidemic was still with us the following year, disrupting the schedule for organizing the show. At the start of 2021, we didn’t know if we would be able to hold the show in September, or under what conditions. We fell way behind schedule because exhibitors delayed their commitment to take part. We had to organize the show in 5 months instead of 10! Moreover, we had to manage the constraints associated with the health crisis: we were the first major event to be held in Monaco, and we had no information manual on how to proceed. It was very difficult, but the show went ahead, running at 78% of its usual size, which was a real achievement, even if we were all totally exhausted. It was very satisfying to see exhibitors and visitors delighted to be in Monaco—it was a party!
What changes have you observed in the industry since you began your career?
Yachting has come a long way in the last 25 years. When I started working for MYS, we were very excited to welcome 45m yachts, which were considered large at the time! Now, the average size of yachts exhibited at MYS is 47m.
It’s fascinating to see how technology, yacht design, yacht profiles, and interior design have evolved over the years. It's an exciting industry that’s constantly at the cutting edge of innovation, and the yachting industry has chosen MYS to showcase these technological advances to the world.
What is your vision for the future of the yachting industry?
My vision for the MYS is to solidify its role as the premier marketplace for the superyacht industry, where innovation and excellence are showcased and celebrated as the driving forces behind the sector's future. We aim to elevate MYS as an educational hub offering market intelligence, helping industry leaders and newcomers understand the proactive role of yachting in addressing global challenges, particularly sustainability. By fostering a culture of collaboration and forward-thinking, MYS will continue to be at the forefront of shaping the future of yachting.
Is there something about you or your work that most people might not know?
I'm passionate about travel, which I organize myself for my family. I love introducing my children to new cultures and countries whenever I get the chance. Time flies—my son is 15 and my daughter is 11, so these family moments are very precious and rich in life experience and discovery
What advice would you give to your younger self, and what do you wish you had known on your first day in the yachting industry?
To stay the course, never take things personally. It's a business where everyone wants to make the most of it.
Get in touch with Gaëlle Tallarida
Website: https://www.monacoyachtshow.com
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