Chief Business Innovation Officer, MSC Cruises
Luca Pronzati is the “Chief Business Innovation Officer” of MSC Cruises. He reports directly to Mr. Gianni Onorato, CEO of MSC Cruises. He oversees the overall company’s ongoing “Digital Transformation and Innovation Program”, supporting the company’s long-term vision strategy from MSC Cruises headquarter in Geneva (Switzerland). Mr. Pronzati is Seasoned Keynote Speaker and Innovation Influencer in several worldwide events.
Mr. Pronzati is responsible to outline the big picture vision to spread the culture of innovation inside the company, to enable the disruption of current business models, to leverage on emerging technologies (such as Digital Channels, Wearables, IoT, Bots, AI & Robotics, AR&VR, etc.) to accelerate the transformation and to keep the company competitive in the market.
He is successfully spearheading the launch of a 10-plus years investment plan of digitalization, with the adoption, on new next-generation mega cruise ships, of “MSC for Me”, the industry-first digital innovation program designed to elevate the on-board customer experience by enhancing the way guests interact each other’s, with the ship and the crew members (www.msccruises.com/en-gl/Discover-MSC/MSC-for-Me.aspx). To further enrich the MSC for Me ecosystem, Mr. Pronzati and the Business Innovation Team introduced in March 2019 Zoe, the industry-first virtual personal cruise assistant, powered by artificial intelligence, developed in partnership with Harman and Samsung Electronics. In the last edition of CES 2020 in Las Vegas MSC Cruises released a new report called “The Future of the Guest Experience,” which explores the trends that will impact the future of the travel industry. For the christening of the new ship MSC Virtuosa, in May 2021, the Innovation Team sailed off onboard the ship Rob, the first humanoid robotic bartender at sea, the main character of the immersive, futuristic MSC Starship Club, an entertainment bar experience.
Mr. Pronzati holds a Masters’ degree in Electronic Engineering. He holds further degrees in Financial, Business and Marketing trainings attended at SDA Bocconi and other top-class institutes.
Mr. Pronzati began his career in the 2000s at Siemens. In 2002 he took on the position of International Business Development Manager of Postel. He joined Carnival Corporation & Plc in 2003 as Manager, Management Advisory Services. In 2008 he took over the responsibility as Senior Manager Continuous Improvement, Business Development, Revenues Enhancement & Cost Optimization of Costa Crociere. In 2012 joined MSC Cruises, recruited by the Chairman, to orchestrate the “MSC 3.0 Enterprise Transformation Program” targeting millions of euro of investments optimization and consolidation.
In his current role as “Chief Business Innovation Officer” of MSC Cruises Mr. Pronzati heads a team of more than 50 internal professionals and more than 100 FTEs externals around the world, including but not limited to, strategic partners such as Samsung Electronics International, Deloitte Digital, Hewlett Packard Enterprise, McKinsey, Boston Consulting Group and others who are focusing on disrupting the cruise industry going through a significant digital transformation, building smart ships and setting a new standard of digital excellence at sea.
With nearly 20 years’ experience in digital innovation and in the cruise industry, Mr. Pronzati has a finely developed experience in boosting productivity and extensive knowledge in senior executive leadership.