As is tradition, the afternoon of Tuesday 19th November will provide the platform for the blue riband session of The Superyacht Forum, with a selection of the industry’s most revered shipyard principals joined by their family successors on stage to discuss how this industry’s succession planning for the next generation will work in practice, based on working examples from two of the industry’s most esteemed businesses.

Dr Mohammed Al Barwani, owner of both Oceanco and Turquoise Yachts, and cousins Henk and Tom de Vries, of the eponymous branch of the Feadship group, are between them a dominant force within quality custom yacht building – and beacons of best practice from which our industry can learn a lot.

Their combined portfolio of deliveries since the beginning of 2015 comprises 28.0% of the entire 70m+ global fleet.

Dr Al Barwani will be joined on stage by his son, Usama, who is already a well-respected figure in the industry and has played a pivotal role in the upward trajectory of both operations.

Heading Group Koninklijke De Vries Scheepsbouw, Henk as CEO while Tom oversees the provision of operational excellence and optimisation across the company, or in their own words, ‘the internal and external division of labour’, the two will be joined by the next generation, Catrien, Hendrik and Roos Groeneveld.

While not quite a changing of the guard, this will be a rare opportunity to hear from the predominant forces of large superyacht construction over the last 25 years, alongside the individuals who will play a key role in what is a new era for our industry.

Taking a superyacht product that is at the very vanguard of our industry’s output, and then examining how the different world views of the next generation will not only change the shape of the vessels themselves, but the approach to yacht construction, and the management of the vessels’ lifecycles represents a profound discussion that will inform the business strategy of all those in attendance, whichever sector of the industry they populate. 

We will be lucky enough to hear what the hopes of the current hegemonic tier are for our industry’s direction, and from those who will ensure its safe passage.

This grandstand keynote session, which will be followed by The Red Party with The Red Ensign Group, is guaranteed to be standing room only. To ensure you are able to be part of the event, click here to reserve your place.

Profile links

Feadship

Oceanco

Turquoise Yachts

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