About Maria Bakalakou
Maria’s career spans over 25 years, during which she has carved a niche for herself in the luxury yachting industry.
Mentored by a yacht owner and naval architect of the Greek-built Liveras megayachts, this hands-on experience enriched Maria with a comprehensive knowledge of various aspects of the yachting industry, including ownership, retail charter, charter management and operations, marketing, procurement, and crewing.
Maria's diverse portfolio has seen her work with multitude of companies, encompassing everything from shipping firms to Royal families. Major achievements of her career to date include numerous successful charters, where an optimal balance between charter management, owner, charterer, and crew was established. Maria made history when she became the first professional female skipper in Greece, participating in open sea regattas.
Today, she has turned her discerning eye and bespoke approach to charter retail, ensuring she provides her clients with the ideal yacht, expert negotiation, superior customer care, and itinerary design.
A visionary at heart, Maria is drawn to innovation, technology, and sustainable projects. When not involved in yachting, she pens blogs and travels with her son to both known and developing yachting destinations worldwide, reflecting her ongoing commitment to exploration and growth.