Skift Power Rankings: Manfredi Lefebvre d’Ovidio

Power is not just about who holds the top job but who shapes the landscape, drives innovation, and sets the agenda for what comes next. With that in mind, we proudly present Skift’s Power Rankings — our list of the most powerful leaders in travel.

Heritage Group chairman Manfredi Lefebvre d’Ovidio has spent decades focused on the top end of luxury travel, from ultra-expensive cruises, to private jet tours, to off-the-beaten-track safari tours for the rich. 

He’s best known as being chairman and former owner of Silversea Cruises, a company founded by his father based out of Monaco. The business started in 1994 with two ships – today it has 13. In 2018, he sold two-thirds of the company to Royal Caribbean Cruises for $1 billion. 

With 40 years of experience across travel, and having turned Silversea from a three-vessel company to a giant with 900 destinations worldwide, he is deeply connected to the cruising sector.

In February 2019, Lefebvre bought 85% of the American luxury travel company Abercrombie & Kent for an undisclosed amount. A&K are masters of high-end trips for the intrepid traveler, offering $20,000 treks across Saudi Arabia, river cruises along the Peruvian Amazon, and $40,000 desert safaris.

In 2022, the 71-year-old bought Crystal Cruises through A&K when it was on the brink of insolvency, with plans to relaunch the brand for an even richer clientele. Since then, Crystal has been promising to expand its fleet since it was bought out by Lefebvre, with A&K already relaunching the Crystal Serenity and Crystal Symphony – its two current ships.