Czech businessman Karel Komárek is making waves with numerous investments and yacht racing syndicates in the yachting industry

Studio Borlenghi

I’ve been intrigued by the Czech businessman Karel Komárek ever since I learned about his interest in maxi yacht racing and his potentially growing ownership stake in the Ferretti Group. And now that he’s co-founded the brand-new American Racing Challenger Team USA that will competing for the America’s Cup in Naples Italy next year as well, I’m excited to report he’s provided detailed and thoughtful answers to my questions about his businesses AND yachting. So, let’s get right to it.

BS: I see your Wally Cento maxi racing yacht team V has been racing—and winning—for a while now. How does yacht racing fit into your life?

KK: Yacht racing brings together several things I enjoy: competition, teamwork and precision. Our team V races against some of the best crews in the world and the level of competition constantly pushes us to improve. Last season we competed across the Mediterranean circuit, including PalmaVela, the Maxi Europeans in Sorrento and Les Voiles de Saint-Tropez, where we finished the season with a win in the Maxi 1 class.

What I particularly enjoy is the challenge of racing at this level. Every regatta is different: sometimes you win after a perfect race, sometimes you have to deal with setbacks or technical problems. It teaches resilience and adaptability, which are qualities that matter in both sport and business.

On a personal level, sailing also gives me clarity and balance. When you are on the water everything becomes very simple — the wind, the boat and the team. It forces you to be fully present, and it reminds you that success always depends on trust, preparation and teamwork.

BS: As a sailor who grew up near Newport, Rhode Island, I’m excited about the recent announcement of American Racing Challenger Team USA. How did this team come to be, and how did you end up working with Chris Welch, Ken Read and Sail Newport?

KK: The idea began with a simple but urgent realization. Without decisive action, the United States was at risk of being absent from the America’s Cup for the first time since 1851. That would have been a historic break, and as someone very involved in the world of sailing, something I believed should be avoided. Fortunately, I had the opportunity along with my partners to change this course.

When the assets of American Magic became available, including the AC75 Patriot and two AC40s, it created a rare opportunity to build a credible American challenge on a proven platform. At the same time, Sail Newport was seeking partners who shared a long-term vision focused not only on elite competition but also on expanding access to the sport through youth and women’s sailing programs.

When team co-founder Chris Welch and I met with Ken Read, everything aligned. Ken is one of the most respected figures in American sailing, twice Rolex Yachtsman of the Year, and he brings the leadership required for a competitive campaign. Building the team together felt natural and I’m incredibly excited at what’s to come.

BS: Did the America’s Cup being held in Naples next year influence your decision to launch this team? Do you see Ferretti Group brands participating? Will there be any crossover with boatbuilding?

KK: Naples is an extraordinary setting, but the decision was driven by responsibility rather than geography. The U.S. needed to return to the America’s Cup, and we felt we could help make that happen. The confirmation of our challenge ensures the United States competes again on sailing’s biggest stage in 2027.

Regarding Ferretti Group, its role is not in the racing itself but in the broader experience. The America’s Cup is a global showcase of craftsmanship, innovation and hospitality, all areas in which Ferretti excels. Events surrounding the America’s Cup offer unique opportunities to demonstrate that excellence in an authentic way. As for technological crossover, high performance sailing often inspires new ideas in engineering, materials and design. The dialogue between America’s Cup innovation and luxury yacht building is constantly evolving, and something I am increasingly involved in.

BS: Ferretti Group CEO Alberto Galassi often says that each of the Ferretti Group brands provide one-of-a-kind experiences, not just boats. Has this been true in your experience, and has it influenced your desire to deepen your involvement?

KK: Absolutely. What distinguishes Ferretti is the depth of experience behind each yacht, from design and engineering to the relationship between the shipyard and the owner. As I have progressed my own journey through different yachts, that sense of continuity and craftsmanship has shaped my ever-growing appreciation for the Group.

That same philosophy sits behind the America’s Cup team. We did not enter as an official challenger simply to compete; we entered because the values and vision with our partners were aligned. The combination of Sail Newport’s heritage, Ken Read’s leadership and our commitment to long term investment and impact created a unique project, and one that echoes Ferretti’s own ethos of excellence and shared experience.

BS: What led you to identify the potential of Ferretti Group?

KK: I have been personally active in the sector for many years — both as a passionate sailor and as an engaged motor yacht owner. I have owned Pershing, Riva, and Wally yachts for over a decade and have been an active member of the Ferretti Group’s client community. My experience goes far beyond ownership: I have been deeply involved on the “builder” side of the industry, giving me firsthand insight into product development, craftsmanship, and the technical evolution of high-performance yachts. As a result, I have built strong ties with leading figures across the international yachting world.

What drew me to Ferretti from the beginning was the combination of engineering excellence, design leadership and a remarkable Italian industrial tradition. It is a company where craftsmanship, innovation and global brand prestige come together in a very rare way. As I said, I started first as a customer, buying my first yacht with Ferretti. And knowing the tremendous quality, when the opportunity to invest in the company came along, I was very honored.

I often say that I truly believe in the brilliance of Italian innovation. Companies like Ferretti show how engineering, creativity and design can combine to create something unique in the world. When KKCG became a shareholder after the company’s listing in Milan, it was clear to me that Ferretti had all the ingredients of a world-class business with significant long-term growth potential.

For me, Ferretti is a jewel of Italian industry. That’s why, through KKCG Maritime, we recently launched a voluntary tender offer to support Ferretti’s next stage of development with stronger governance and the ability to act more decisively. Our objective is not to change the company’s identity, but to support its next phase of development with long-term commitment, strong governance, and respect for the Italian management team that has built such a successful global brand.

Our investment philosophy is always the same: identify exceptional companies, support their leadership, and help them grow sustainably. Ferretti already represents the very best of Italian engineering and design. Our ambition is simply to help the company grow even more on a global scale.

BS: Why does Italy seem to play such a special role in your business story?

KK: Italy is important to me on several levels: strategically, professionally, and personally. From a business standpoint, Italy has long been one of Europe’s most significant markets for us. In the lottery sector, it represents Western Europe’s largest numerical lottery market, where Allwyn holds a 32.5% consortium stake in LottoItalia. That stake marked our meaningful entry into a country with an incredibly deep gaming tradition and a highly engaged consumer base — a perfect match for our data driven approach to strengthening national lotteries.

The opportunity to deepen our involvement with Ferretti isn't just a business transaction. It speaks to something more fundamental. Italy is home to an extraordinary tradition of craftsmanship, engineering excellence, and design. Ferretti embodies all of that: precision, beauty, innovation, and a global reputation for quality. It’s a company that not only builds yachts, but it also builds works of art. For someone like me, who appreciates both engineering and culture, it’s impossible not to admire what Ferretti represents at its core.

On a personal level, Italy resonates with many of the things I care about. My philanthropic work often intersects with the arts, classical music, cultural projects and heritage initiatives. In Italy you feel that artistic spirit everywhere: in the architecture, the music, the way people live. It aligns beautifully with the values we support through our family foundation.

And Italy’s connection to sport and performance speaks to me as well, particularly given our work supporting talent and equality in areas like motorsport.

So, when you combine all of that — a strategic market, a world class company like Ferretti, unmatched cultural depth, and a natural alignment with our values — it’s easy to say: Italy isn’t just important to our business. It’s a place I genuinely appreciate and feel inspired by.

BS: Wow. So, what was your early business life like?

KK: I was born in 1969 in Hodonín, a region with a long industrial and energy heritage in the Czech Republic. I grew up in a family with strong entrepreneurial influence. My father worked in the industrial sector, which helped shape my own early interests in engineering and business. After the Velvet Revolution, in 1992, I founded my first company, M.O.S. Hodonín, an industrial valves wholesale business started with capital borrowed from my father. This venture became a steppingstone into the energy sector and ultimately laid the groundwork for my later investments. It demonstrated to me the importance of long-term investing.

BS: What was your vision KKCG when you founded it in 1995?

KK: Initially, KKCG started as a small investment company, but even then, I believed in spotting emerging trends and building industries for the long term. My ambition was to create a diverse, innovative investment group with the flexibility to move quickly, allocate capital effectively, and build businesses that could scale internationally. Often the investment world is split between those firms which take over operationally or those which are completely absent. My approach is different – we are focused on supporting the best management team possible for each business and helping them to grow and build the business. KKCG is the ultimate value-driver.

A key milestone was the acquisition of Sazka, the Czech lottery operator, in 2012. It had filed for bankruptcy, and under our leadership it not only recovered but became the foundation for one of the world’s largest entertainment companies, Allwyn. Allwyn now operates lotteries and gaming in the UK, US (Illinois), Greece, Cyprus, Austria, Italy, and the Czech Republic. In Italy we have worked with our partners Brightstar (formerly IGT) to consistently grow and improve LottoItalia, along with its contribution to Italian state coffers, worth over 2 billion a year.

Today KKCG comprises 300+ companies active across 40+ countries, covering sectors from renewable energy to artificial intelligence and real estate. Our portfolio includes the MND Group in energy, the ARICOMA Group in IT services, and major real-estate developments across Europe. We also invest in high potential startups. The group’s philosophy is long term, sustainable growth backed by our own capital and deep sector expertise.

BS: KKCG has expanded beyond Europe as well, including in the US, right?

KK: Yes: in 2023 we opened a methanol facility in West Virginia through US Methanol, a company we founded in 2016. It’s part of our broader commitment to sustainable industrial development. Allwyn, our entertainment business, also operates lotteries and other games in the United States.

Ok, that was a lot to take in. Stay tuned for much more to come.