Timón Award honors Diego Colón de Carvajal for his professional career

The CEO of Astilleros de Mallorca will receive the Gaceta Náutica award in the professional career category.

Diego Colón de Carvajal, CEO of Astilleros de Mallorca, will be presented with the Brújula Award for personal and professional achievement on November 21st at the Port Centre in Palma, as part of the X Timón Awards organized by the specialized publication Gaceta Náutica (GN). “With this award, we recognize one of the most respected figures in our sector. Diego exemplifies perseverance, adaptability, and the pursuit of excellence, essential qualities for a company to endure over time,” says Elena Pipó, director of GN.

“I have been tremendously happy doing what I am passionate about,” says Colón de Carvajal, who sees his connection with the sea as inevitable. “With the name Colón and being the son of a sailor, it was unavoidable,” he recalls in an extensive interview that GN will publish in its upcoming print edition. From his earliest experiences in sailing to his role in the technical direction of Spain’s first America’s Cup challenge, his professional life has been intertwined with the sea and ships.

His arrival at Astilleros de Mallorca marked a decisive stage for the company and the Balearic nautical industry. In the 1980s, the European shipbuilding crisis forced a reevaluation of the production model. “Astilleros de Mallorca has survived because it has always been able to adapt,” Colón de Carvajal notes. Under his leadership, the shipyard shifted from building commercial vessels to specializing in the repair and maintenance of large yachts, a change that ensured its survival and made it an international reference.

That transformation was not easy. The company faced two payment suspensions and debts that threatened its continuity, but a focus on quality, training, and teamwork allowed it to overcome the challenge. With more than four decades linked to the shipyard, he has witnessed both prosperous and turbulent times, and has always earned the respect of the sector for his knowledge, leadership, ability to inspire trust, and professionalism. Looking ahead, he remains optimistic: “The shipyard’s story does not end with me. The team coming behind is better trained and more prepared.”

The X Timón Awards, organized by Gaceta Náutica, are sponsored by the Balearic Port Authority, Ports IB, Redeia, and D-Marin, with collaboration from Bufete Frau, Sa Calma Boats, Portcall, Cruceros Margarita, Alcudiamar, Club de Vela Port d’Andratx, Puerto Portals, Port Adriano, Astilleros de Mallorca, León Von Ondarza Abogados, the Association of Balearic Yacht Clubs, ANADE, Real Club Náutico de Palma, Bodegas José Luis Ferrer, and Exclusive Rent 4 Events. This year’s gala will take place on November 21st at the Port Centre in Palma (institutional headquarters of the Balearic Port Authority) at 7:30 p.m.