Alessio Sabbatini

Business Development Manager at ELT Group | Commander (ITA Navy) ret. | Ex Amazon Pathways Ops Manager

Riyadh, Saudi Arabia

About

Defence business development leader with the field credibility of a +20-year naval career. I served over two decades as an officer in the Italian Navy, leaving the service as Commander (OF-4), leading teams and complex operations across maritime security, naval diplomacy and international cooperation. That experience shaped how I work today: building trust across cultures, reading the strategic picture, and getting people to deliver under pressure. I now lead Elettronica SpA's branch in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia. After joining as Business Development Manager, I stepped into the Branch Manager role — owning local strategy, partnerships and the company's presence in one of the most dynamic defence markets in the world. Along the way I also ran large-scale logistics operations at Amazon, turning military operational planning into civilian results. MA in Defence Studies (King's College London) and MA in International Security (Ca' Foscari Venezia). I work in Italian and English, and I'm currently learning Arabic. Above all, I'm a people-first leader: my real edge has always been the teams I build and the relationships I keep.

Experience

  • Business Development & Internationalization Manager at ELT Group
    May 2025 - Present · 1 yr 2 mos

  • Pathways Operations Manager at Amazon
    Sep 2022 - Jun 2025 · 2 yrs 10 mos

  • Head of Plans & Targeting section at Marina Militare Italiana
    Sep 2020 - Sep 2022 · 2 yrs 1 mo

    IT Navy Fleet HQ

  • Advanced Command and Staff Course 23 at Defence Academy of the United Kingdom
    Aug 2019 - Sep 2020 · 1 yr 2 mos

  • Cadets' Commanding Officer at Accademia Navale
    Sep 2017 - Jul 2019 · 1 yr 11 mos