Monaco will host the inaugural World Yachting Summit this April, an international event designed to bring together industry leaders from across the globe for talks on innovation, sustainability and the future of yachting.
Set to take place from 15th to 17th April at the Monte-Carlo Bay Hotel & Resort, the World Yachting Summit (WYS) is a newly conceived international forum aimed at uniting a broad cross-section of figures and names from the global yachting industry. Organised in the spirit of major gatherings such as the annual UN Climate Change Conference (COP) and the World Economic Forum in Davos, the event will tackle some of the most pressing challenges and obstacles facing the yachting industry, from environmental pressures to business model evolution.
The three-day summit is expected to draw participants from an array of sectors, including shipbuilders, brokers, naval architects, regulators, tourism authorities and developers.
Two thematic tracks will structure the programme. The first, Business and Tourism Development, will look at strategies for economic growth, with an emphasis on innovation and sustainable territorial development. The second will explore the industry’s efforts to decarbonise and align more closely with the UN’s 17 Sustainable Development Goals.
Speakers to address innovation and sustainability
A wide range of high-level speakers will participate, including Francis Lapp, the founder and CEO of Sunreef Yachts, who will appear on panels such as ‘The Rise of the Catamaran in Experiential Yachting’ and ‘What Could Be a Clean and Alternative Future’. Tobias Kohl, Director of Application Engineering Marine & Offshore at Rolls-Royce Solutions GmbH, will address future fuels and propulsion systems, while Nicola Pomi of Volvo Penta will speak on the challenges of digitalisation and regulation.
Also lined up for keynote sessions are well-known designers Espen Øino and Dan Lenard, who will discuss the future of yacht design and shifting client expectations, particularly around sustainability. ‘A Clean Future’ and ‘The End of Globalisation’ are among the session titles involving Øino.
Meanwhile, industry figures such as Adam Peet from Red Sea Global and Sameh Muhtadi from RAK Properties will provide regional perspectives on infrastructure development and tourism, particularly in the Middle East.
“The summit is designed to foster active dialogue, promote constructive debate and encourage concrete actions for the future of yachting,” say the event’s organisers.
Olivier Wenden, Vice President and CEO of the Prince Albert II of Monaco Foundation, will open the plenary session on the second day with a keynote stressing the need for yachting to move in step with environmental protection — a message at the core of the Foundation’s mission.
Beyond the main programme, the event will feature a showroom to facilitate business networking and an Innov’ Lounge spotlighting emerging technologies from start-ups, particularly in areas such as energy use, waste management and water efficiency.
The opening talk, ‘The Future of Wealth’, delivered by data firm Altrata-Wealth-X, will offer a cross-sector look at shifting client demographics and what that means for the luxury industries connected to yachting.
The organisers have also confirmed that the summit has ambitions to rotate globally, with Dubai selected to host the 2026 edition. A detailed report summarising the discussions and key outcomes will be released after the event.
More information and the full programme can be found here.
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