Comitti Italian Powerboats Launch in the UK & Caribbean in 2020 led by Entrepreneur Dr Karen Dickens
Entrepreneur & philanthropist Dr Karen Dickens, will be celebrating her new company and dealership Comitti Boats UK & Caribbean in 2020, bringing these iconic Italian powerboats to a much wider audience, across multiple markets and geographies.
Karen grew up in Cornwall where her love of boats and the ocean started, and now spends her time between London, Cornwall and Barbados. It was through her initial purchase and bespoke design of a Comitti VENEZIA 34 boat – ‘Octopussy’ – that Karen got to know the company, the owners, and the designers directly.
Karen then got to work to design the detail on her new Comitti BREVA 35 – ‘Property of a Lady’ – being built for delivery in May 2020 to Lymington, UK. Through this experience and getting to know the team behind the Comitti brand, she feels a great sense of partnership.
She believes passionately about helping build the business, expanding the reach of Comitti into new markets, and her business background and financial acumen holds her in good stead. With a PhD in Physical Organic Chemistry, Karen has over 30 years’ experience of working in the oil industry rising to executive positions in both Esso Petroleum and Exxon Mobil, including the development and rollout of the Global Synergy Fuels Programme across key Esso Exxon and Mobil markets. Appointed CEO of MRH (GB), Karen implemented a new customer focused strategy, planning and executing its successful sale in June 2018.
Throughout her career Karen has used her strong commitment to the people & partners who she works with, her customers and her passion for the business she leads to deliver significant levels of change and improvements in all areas of performance. She is, also, committed to using the same skills to deliver benefits to the charities she supports both directly and through her teams and partners, in particular the Cornwall Air Ambulance Trust and the Nature Fun Ranch – a children’s charity in Barbados.
Dr Karen Dickens says: “Comitti is a small company in northern Italy and one of the few remaining Italian shipyards with a tradition of fine craftsmanship and classically modern design. This is evident in each boat as I can personally testify, and by getting involved directly I’m delighted to be able to bring these beautifully crafted pleasure boats to a much wider audience.”
The Comitti Group’s head office and yard is nestled in the foothills beside the beautiful waters of Lake Como with a modern production facility which grew from a family business founded by Mario Comitti in 1956.
Today there are four Comitti model families encapsulating ‘not only a boat, a lifestyle’. Tradition meets innovation in this beautiful range of boats providing flexibility to use in the sea, rivers and lakes.
The newest model is the BREVA, offering a new contemporary design that retains timeless Italian styling, available in 29ft or 35ft with a larger model on the drawing board.
The classical VENEZIA range offers a very classical design in 5 different lengths (22ft, 25ft, 28ft, 31ft and 34ft) each in 4 different levels of specification: Sport, Classic Teak or Mahogany and Elegance.
The ISOLA 33 is the multi-use boat in the Comitti fleet, with her open bow layout & centre helm allowing for forward and aft dining areas, in addition to her fixed Bimini makes her an ideal fishing boat for use in the tropics. When specified with British diesel outboards by COX Power she becomes and incredibly elegant and versatile tender/chase boat.
The PORTOFINO and SANREMO wooden range embody the company’s heritage of fine craftsmanship using traditional materials while maintaining that bygone golden era of 1960’s Italian wooden boat design.
The Comitti Fleet ranges in price from £100,000 to £400,000 (+VAT and taxes), and with 13 different models in the fleet, Comitti is the perfect brand to satisfy connoisseurs – from day cruisers and pleasure seekers, to Superyacht tenders and those looking for commercial and resort business use.
The Comitti UK & Caribbean team are committed to offering a personal service from start to finish, and throughout ownership. The team are based at the new UK office in The Old Alarm, Quay Hill in Lymington where director James Hart is based. James has worked in the marine industry for over 5 years, from building Bluewater Sailing Yachts in Southampton to superyacht charters in Monaco after working with luxury British brands Aston Martin and Holland & Holland. The bespoke design features and choices available are particularly personal to Karen who has sought out external design specialists that offer the same quality, craftmanship and attention to detail that the boats offer themselves – and just like Comitti boats, Karen uses all these specialists herself so can attest to the quality.
For all press enquiries, interviews, visuals and demos contact:
kerry milliken kerry@eyepr.co.uk,
Tel: 0203 780 4641
Mble: 07799 714006