Laurent Issaurat, Head of Art Banking Services, and Adina Bates, Head of Yacht Finance at Societe Generale Private Banking.

Societe Generale Private Banking combines two widely recognised areas of expertise: yacht finance and art wealth management. While each discipline serves distinct client needs, both are rooted in the same values: craftsmanship, vision and the careful transmission of exceptional assets across generations.

To explore this convergence, we spoke with Massimo Perotti, Executive Chairman of Sanlorenzo, one of the leading players in the global yachting industry, whose longstanding commitment to design, architecture and contemporary art has fostered a unique dialogue between yachting and artistic expression.

Art and collectible assets: a new dimension of wealth
For several decades, Societe Generale has been deeply committed to the field of contemporary creation, particularly through an art collection whose 30th anniversary we have just celebrated. It is within this highly fertile environment that art wealth management operates within the Private Bank, aiming to provide comprehensive support to our clients at every stage of the lifecycle of their collectibles, ranging from acquisition and sale to inventory management, collection building, financial protection, art patronage or anticipating the transmission of these assets to future generations, among many other key topics.

The financial challenges tied to ‘passion assets’ are all the more critical to understand, as the vast majority of the artwork, collectible automobiles, watches, furniture pieces and/or jewellery owned by high and ultra-high-net-worth individuals go hand in hand with high financial stakes and are set to change hands over the next 20 years, as part of the wealth transfer from baby boomers to the next generation.

The world of yachting perfectly embodies this area of interest, where financial considerations intertwine with a myriad of passions, be it for technology, design, exceptional craftsmanship, nature or, in some cases, fine arts. We are deeply grateful to Massimo Perotti for his insights into Sanlorenzo’s commitment to contemporary art, as well as the essential considerations for anyone wishing to bring artworks on board.

Interview with Massimo Perotti, Executive Chairman, Sanlorenzo
Here, Massimo Perotti shares his personal perspective on the relationship between art, architecture and yachting, and explains how Sanlorenzo has developed a long-standing dialogue with the contemporary art world.

Laurent Issaurat: Could you share some insights about Sanlorenzo’s commitment to the arts, which has now reached a new peak in Venice?
Massimo Perotti: Our commitment to the arts comes from the fact that at Sanlorenzo design means shaping spaces and experiences.

It began with the clear and deliberate choice to bring architecture and design on board, col-laborating with designers such as Dordoni Architetti, Piero Lissoni, Patricia Urquiola and Citterio Viel. This decision changed the way space is conceived in our industry, introducing open layouts and a new continuity between interior and exterior.

From there, the dialogue with contemporary art came naturally. Over the years, we built meaningful relationships with institutions including Art Basel, the Peggy Guggenheim Collection and the Venice Biennale. These were important milestones yet still tied to specific contexts and moments.

At a certain point, we felt the need to create something more permanent, a place where this dialogue could evolve with continuity and depth. This is how Casa Sanlorenzo was conceived: not as a traditional exhibition venue, but as a cultural home in Venice, a space for research, production and exchange where art, design, sustainability and the culture of the sea can coexist.

Projects like UN_Material, presented at Milan Design Week 2026, continue to explore design as a cultural language, translating the yacht into an architectural experience; but Casa Sanlorenzo is where all these elements converge.

I don’t see it as a peak. It is simply the next step in a coherent journey, one that gives continuity to what we have been building over the last decade.

What sort of art lover are you and what kind of art are you most interested in?
I would describe myself as someone who approaches art with curiosity: I am particularly drawn to contemporary art, because it reflects the complexity of our time. It has the ability to question, to challenge assumptions and to open new perspectives, qualities that resonate deeply with the process of designing a yacht. My relationship with art is closely linked to my work. It is a way to keep challenging what we do and to remain open to new possibilities.

What interests me most is creating contexts where art can be experienced. In many ways, it is a way of giving back: offering access, opening doors and allowing works to live rather than remaining confined to private spaces. This is why, at Casa Sanlorenzo, we chose to make important pieces accessible to the public.

Is it possible to showcase art on a yacht? Any examples of collectors who have pursued this?
Absolutely, and it is happening more and more, but it requires a very precise approach.

A yacht is not a static space like a house or a museum. It is a moving environment, exposed to light, humidity and vibrations, so the integration of art on board has to be carefully considered. This is why, at Sanlorenzo, we have always worked on the idea that art should not simply be placed on board but should become part of the overall spatial experience. The way surfaces, light and volumes are designed is already, in a sense, a form of dialogue with art. That said, there are collectors who have taken this further, bringing important works on board their yachts. We have also seen examples where owners commission site-specific works or integrate pieces that interact with the architecture of the yacht itself.

Are some artworks more suitable than others for display on a yacht?
The marine environment imposes real constraints, and honesty is important here. Works on paper and certain photography pieces require very careful humidity and light management. Paintings with delicate varnishes need vibration-dampening solutions. That said, technology has advanced considerably. What tends to work beautifully are bronze or stone sculptures, site-specific installations conceived for the vessel, and large-format photography behind museum-grade protective glass. Neon and LED works also translate remarkably well, there is something poetic about light art at sea. The ideal approach is to involve the artist or a specialist curator early in the design phase, so the work and the space are conceived together rather than adapted after the fact.

What type of yachts would be the most suitable to display works of art?
In our experience, the most suitable yachts are those where architecture, engineering and a thoughtful approach to integrating art and space work together. The goal is to create a setting where art can be experienced naturally, where it becomes part of the lifestyle on board.

For Sanlorenzo, this is where the dialogue between art, design and the sea becomes a way of shaping culture and giving something back to the world that inspires us.

Building relationships before building yachts
Every superyacht project begins with an idea, but its success ultimately depends on the people who bring that idea to life. Projects depend not only on expertise, but also on relationships.

As financing may play an important role, the quality of collaboration and a shared appreciation of each participant's priorities are essential. At Societe Generale, we are able to support projects from very early construction stages and adapt our contracts and security package to the shipyard’s and client’s contractual framework. Variation and change orders are often agreed throughout the project, and financing arrangements evolve accordingly, which require all parties to adapt and discuss on a regular basis.

This approach, often extending over two to three years, reinforces the need to maintain regular dialogue throughout the construction process.

This is why discussions should not be limited to ongoing financing projects, and we need to create opportunities to discuss other subjects, such as industry trends in order to explore common interests and help build stronger connections.

The conversation around art and culture provides a particularly relevant example, as it creates a framework in which the bank and the shipyard can engage beyond commercial considerations, as their relationship built over time contributes to mutual understanding.

Ultimately, the strength of the superyacht industry rests not only on engineering excellence or financial expertise, but also on the initiatives that encourage dialogue outside the immediate pressures of transactions. 

This article first appeared in The Superyacht Report: Owners Focus. With our open-source policy, it is available to all by following this link, so read and download the latest issue and any of our previous issues in our library.

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