Haute Living Los Angeles Jan/Feb 2012
$120 Million Super Yacht’s Mystery Buyer Revealed
by Alison Agudo

Rumors have been running rampant over the past week about who was the mysterious buyer that snatched up the 289-foot super yacht known as the Maltese Falcon. The hybrid super yacht is one of the world’s largest, best designed, and most expensive yachts around and its new owner is, somewhat ironically, a first time yacht-owner.

51-year-old Greek-born hedge fund owner, Elena Ambrosiadou, has been revealed as the new owner of the $120 million yacht. As the founder of hedge fund Ikos (meaning “home” in Greek), Ambrosiadou has been described as the highest-paid woman and wealthiest female entrepreneur in Britain, where she lives part of the year.

The Maltese Falcon was originally built by Perini Navi for venture capitalist Tom Perkins in 2006, and it remains the icing on the super-yacht-cake in terms of technology, design, and reputation.  The super yacht is renowned for her revolutionary sailing system, dubbed the DynaRig, which features three self-standing and rotating masts holding 15 sails for a total sail area of 25,791 square feet for unmatched “performance maneuverability and record-shattering speed.” With this system, the Maltese Falcon can cross the Atlantic Ocean in less than ten days.

A chemical engineer by training, with a current fortune estimated at more than $330 million, Ambrosiadou, who divides her time between Cyprus, Greece and London, England commented on the moment that made her decide to buy the Maltese Falcon and said, “I chartered her with some friends last year and then last April I crossed the Atlantic with Tom, which took eight days. I fell in love with her—everyone falls in love with her sleek lines and signature masts.”

Unfortunately, being one of the wealthiest women in Britain means leisure time is limited, and Ambrosiadou says, “I work 16 hours a day, seven days a week. I doubt if I’ll be spending much time on her,” and goes on to indicate she may continue to charter off the yacht for around $620,000 a week. “This is an enterprise,” she adds.

The Maltese Falcon has six guest cabins, eight crew cabins, a gym, and a sculpture of a vintage Bugatti racing car. It is also rumored to carry four Laser sailing boats, a mini-submarine, although it is thought that its former owner, Perkins, may keep the latter.

Mystery solved.

Nov 4, 2009 6:12 PM
Read 0 Times
Related Posts
by Haute Living, Aug 10, 2011 5:48 AM
 
The RoMa, the yacht that epitomizes luxury, can be yours for $66.2 million.
by Haley Friedlich, Nov 20, 2011 1:06 AM
 
When life on land is becoming mundane, heading to the high seas is often a great solution. Italian shipyard, Fincantieri, has just completed the world’s 9th largest yacht, Serene, which is the perfect solution for one super rich buyer looking to take to the water.
by Alison Agudo, Aug 10, 2011 10:00 AM
 
The hotel mogul, Vikram Chatwal lives one of the most lavish lifestyles, with money to spare. Chatwal has been known as the founder of the Dream and Time Hotel brands and in his spare time he can be seen driving around the city in his vintage Aston Martin, partying with reality stars, Lindsay Lohan ...
by Laura Yarborough, Jan 24, 2012 3:53 PM
 
Plans were revealed for a new mega-yacht for the Queen of England and the British Royal Family.
by Haley Friedlich, Nov 27, 2011 7:53 AM
 
While many luxury yachts are made to be eco-friendly, the Emax Super Marine 45 is touted to be the world’s first zero carbon superyacht tendor.
by Alison Cavatore, Dec 14, 2011 5:38 PM
 
Britain’s richest woman, Kirsty Bertarelli, and her Swiss husband Ernesto just purchased a 96-meter, six-deck Vava II yacht for £100 million.
by Alison Agudo, Sep 16, 2011 6:00 PM
 
An anonymous person tells news sources of a London penthouse that sold for 100 million pounds, which rings in at a stifling $157 million.
by Alexandra Delgado, Jan 7, 2012 3:22 AM
 
Haute Living looks at some of the world's most luxurious yachts that feature amenities onboard ranging from swimming pools to helicopter pads to submarines.
by Alison Agudo, Sep 23, 2011 2:13 AM
 
Last week everyone’s favorite director, Steven Spielberg, set sail out into the Caribbean on the world’s most expensive yacht, Seven Seas. Spielberg’s $200 million superyacht measures in at a reported 282 feet and was reportedly built by the Dutch shipyard Oceanco in collaboration with Nuvo...
by Sherri Balefsky, Mar 31, 2011 11:10 AM
 
 
 
CURATORS
 
TOP 5
 
Miami Dec/Jan 2012
 
HAUTE 100
It’s politics season and not only in the United States, our Alaskan neighbors, Russia is embroiled...
 
HAUTE SECRETS
Wendy Williams is a former 20 plus year radio veteran and now is the host of the successful daytime ...
© HAUTE MEDIA GROUP 2011