Tramontana, Meet the Founder – Antonio Ivanisević
Tell us About Yourself
I was born in Melbourne, Australia, but my family moved back when I was young, so I grew up in a small coastal town on the Dalmatian coast called Krilo. Since a young age, I’ve always been passionate about the sea and everything to do with Croatia. These passions combined in my first role at sea, when I was a Cruise Director aboard mini cruisers for 6 years. My role was to show guests the best of the Croatian coast, sharing stories about our culture, and history along the way.
What was the Vision for Tramontana?
During my time at sea, I gained valuable insights not only into Croatia but also into the yachting industry. I saw a significant gap in the market for quality-built yachts in Croatia, as well as providing exceptional onboard experiences. I genuinely believe that we have the potential to compete with the world market on both fronts. Croatia has a rich history of talented inventors and tradespeople, and it’s time to showcase our local talent under a Croatian brand. Our yachts aim to exemplify quality craftsmanship and offer unparalleled experiences on board. Our ultimate goal is to establish Croatia as a leader in yacht building and luxury travel on a global scale.
You Have Another Driving Force Behind this Vision, Can You Tell Us About it?
Well, a huge part of my vision to build something extraordinary and impactful came from my Great-Grandfather, Don Frane Ivanisević. Don Frane was an important local figure and an exceptional man. He was the local senator who was very forward-thinking and pushed for a lot of progress in the area. He built schools, a community centre, a church, and funded the education of many locals. He also built the Krilo port and founded a village savings Bank, which enabled locals to purchase sailboats with cheap loans. It’s safe to say that without Don Frane’s vision and determination, Krilo Jesenice and the thriving yachting industry we know today might not even exist. He was truly a visionary who always put the people first, leaving behind a lasting legacy. Don Frane is a role model and an inspiration behind Tramontana Yachts. His spirit lives on in the vision, and I am honoured to carry forward his legacy of innovation and impact.
What Are Some of the Key Goals of Tramontana?
- To build quality luxury yachts: our goal is to craft luxury yachts of exceptional quality, ensuring an unparalleled experience for our clients.
- To elevate Croatia’s Status in Luxury Yachting: We aim to establish Croatia as a prominent destination for luxury yachting and as a major player on the yacht building scene.
- To create the best onboard experience: this isn’t a numbers game for us, we care about giving our guests the best possible experience when they sail with us. End of story.
- Cultivating Excellence: we are committed to building a great company with great people.
- Advancing Eco-Friendly Practices: by embracing eco-friendly practices where possible, we aim to find new ways to reduce our impact on the environment.
- Challenging Norms: we aim to revolutionise the industry by redefining the time it takes to build a luxury yacht, setting new standards for efficiency and timeliness without undermining quality.
- Impact: In our pursuit of excellence, we strive to positively impact our community and the yachting industry.
What Else is Unique About Tramontana?
Local People: I think several things are unique about Tramontana. The first is that we take pride in our commitment to working with locals. Many of our crew members are either family or from the same community which I think is truly special and creates an authentic onboard experience for our guests. And, as I already mentioned, I believe Croatia has a wealth of talent, and we plan on working with the best to showcase this.
Our People are Owners: Our vision for Tramontana is that we aim to have key individuals in our organisation become part owners, allowing us to build something extraordinary and positively impact our community. Success for us means bringing as many people as possible with us – and having fun while we’re at it!
The First Sailing Super Yacht Brand: Tramontana will be the first sailing superyacht brand in the world, AND the first luxury yacht brand in Croatia.
Is There More We Should Know?
Definitely. But we can’t reveal everything at once! All I will say is – watch this space!
