IYBA and Yacht Club de Monaco are bringing together a panel of international experts to inform what is new in yachting.
Agenda
Fall Cruising Destinations: Must see places on your shoulder season experience
Refit & New Build Trends: Hear from the world's experts
International Transactions: Key takeaways to ensure smooth sailing
Presenters
IYBA
Ben Marshall
Captain - A1 Yachting
I have been in the yachting industry for 35 years and during which time have Captained large yachts all over the world and to many remote places and have amassed in excess off over 500,000 Nautical miles, I have supervised the construction of the 52 meter sailing yacht Red Dragon in New Zealand.
I am a qualified diving instructor and have been lucky enough to show people some incredible underwater paradises all over the world. I have been based with A1 in Greece now for one and half years back in a country where I started my sailing career in 1979.
Marsha Turola
Owner - Marsha Yachting
Born in Toronto, Canada she is the owner of the Marsha Yachting srl, the Neapolitan agency of large ships and yachts. She graduated in Hospitality and Tourism Administration in Toronto and worked for 6 years as a district manager and store opener. Fifteen years ago the turning point: she came to Naples, Italy and started to work in shipping business. Marsha worked for two years in a maritime agency supporting guests, captains and crew in all their needs before and during their stay in Mediterranean waters. She also assisted military ships, aircraft carriers, cargos, tankers and NATO ships. Marsha is now a certified maritime agent and runs her own agency in order to serve only yachts. With a network of agents built in years and years of experience, she can manage to organize yacht visits throughout Europe. Today Marsha Yachting srl is able to provide high standard services, tailored to meet different needs for all kind of clients.
Patricia Bullock
Managing Director - Network Marine Consultants
Patricia is the Founder and Managing Director of Network Marine Consultants. Known to her team as “the Guru”, and as a result of over 30 years’ experience, she is an acknowledged specialist in the field of all things applicable to general yachting administration in Spain. She is, as such, often invited to speak at major international conferences on the subject of yachting and chartering and has been instrumental in lobbying for the changes made to the law relating to matriculation tax in Spain. Her dedication to the yachting sector is also apparent in that she is the Founder and Vice-President of the sail training charity Fundacion de Joves Navegants de Balears. Patricia sits on the Board of AENIB, the Association of Balearic Nautical Businesses.
Sophia Tutino
Founder - Sophia Tutino Yacht Ltd.
Sophia is a Yacht Charter and Charter Management Expert. She is the founder of Sophia Tutino Yachting Ltd, a boutique yachting company specialising in providing yacht charter services to Single & Multi Family Offices.
Sophia acts as the Family Office Yachting Expert in a very transparent, unbiased and insightful role; providing Families with the best service in-house.
Sophia founded Sophia Tutino Yachting Ltd after leading the global charter operations for three of the most established and highest regarded yachting companies in the world for over twelve years.
Hein Velema
Superyacht Business Consultant - Marstrat
Hein Velema is superyacht business consultant and partner at Dutch maritime consultancy firm Marstrat. Hein is former CEO of Fraser Yachts, former director at Feadship and founding president of the SYBAss, founding vice president of LYBRA and former director European operations at IYBA. Today Hein’s clients are shipyards, suppliers, brokerage companies, family offices and associations.
Jeff Bowles
Director - DLBA
Jeff Bowles is the Director of DLBA. Formerly Donald L. Blount & Associates, and now a part of
Gibbs & Cox, DLBA is a consultant naval architecture and marine engineering group supporting a wide range of market sectors in the maritime world. Jeff graduated from Webb Institute in 2000 with a degree in naval architecture and marine engineering, and then obtained a master’s in marine engineering from University of Newcastle in 2001. He signed on with DLBA in October 2001 and has never looked back. Jeff has spent a lot of time in South Florida supporting projects and has experience playing all of the Refit roles acting on behalf of the owner, the original shipyard, and the refit yard. Jeff is a licensed Professional Engineer and a certified Project Management Professional.
Iñigo Toledo
Director - Barracuda Yacht Design
Iñigo Toledo heads the design partnership known as Barracuda Yacht Design, a studio characterised by its positive philosophy and a unique technical prowess. Add to that significant experience in Americas Cup campaigns, and you are talking about a studio hands-on experience that surpasses most of their contemporaries.
Michel Buffat
Head Aviation & Yacht Finance - Credit Suissse
Michel Buffat joined Credit Suisse in 2001 after having spent several years at a blue chip Swiss engineering company. Michel is a long-time member of the CS Aviation and Yacht Finance team and in addition to his sales activities, Michel set up the transaction and portfolio management team, which he is heading up. Michel has also extensive knowhowand experience in Yacht Financing, an activity that Credit Suisse re-started successfully in 2014.
Nicolas Valin
CEO & Founder - Neo Yachting
Nicolas Valin was “programmed” to work in the yachting industry, thanks to a father who pioneered the yacht charter business in the Caribbean in the late 1960s, a childhood spent in the French West Indies and a lifelong passion for sailing.
After obtaining a Master’s in Marketing, Nicolas spent 15 years working for three nautical world leaders: in the bareboat charter business with The Moorings, in yacht brokerage with Fraser, and in yacht building with Azimut Yachts. In 2005, he launched the Azimut Charter Club in Monaco and Varazze, laying the foundations of what would become Neo Yachting in 2009. With 25 years of experience in yachting, Nicolas brings a technical and comprehensive approach to yacht sales and purchases. He has closed a wide range of yacht deals, spanning the spectrum from a 62-metre megayacht to a 60 foot sports yacht.
Bob Allen
Founder - Robert Allen Law
International business and superyacht lawyer Bob Allen founded Robert Allen Law 25 years ago. He has more than 35 years of experience counseling clients on legal matters involving both U.S. and international issues and has a dynamic practice focusing on the yachting industry.
James Jaffa
Lawyer & Founding Partner - Jaffa & Co.
James founded the firm and is recognised internationally for his knowledge and expertise. He has been shortlisted for the Citywealth Lawyer of the Year Award and recognised as a leading advisor within the London market for ultra-high net worth sector. He has also been ranked in Chambers Guide and the Legal 500, both of which recognise the UK’s leading legal advisors. Clients praise James’ fast response times and ability to simplify complex matters. One leading, international brokerage describes James as “without doubt, one of the finest specialists in the industry and a pleasure to deal with.” In his personal capacity, James is an avid sailor and competes nationally and internationally. He enjoys spending time in the South of France with his family, onboard their own boat.
Jamie Edmiston
Chief Executive - Edmiston
Jamie Edmiston was with Edmiston between 2001 and 2011 before leading an investment into British Luxury brand LINLEY. Following the recent sale of LINLEY to Malaysian investors, Jamie has returned to Edmiston to lead the business. Jamie is well known within the yachting industry and his extensive experience both within yachting and the luxury space makes him well placed to take on the leadership of Edmiston.
Aylin Aribas
Environmental Engineer - Begum Yachting
I was born in Ankara on 08th. of October, 1971. I am an Environmental Engineer and made my Master of Science Degree in Biological Treatment Plants , and graduated from Middle East Technical University-TURKEY in 1994. I am in Yachting Business and have been working in Begum Yachting as Personal Assistant of Ms. Begüm DOĞULU since 2006.
Maja Ban
Director - MYS Yachting
Maja graduated in 2000 with a BA in Economics from the University of Zagreb in Croatia. She is also a licensed Maritime Agent and holds a Certificate for Superyacht Management from the Maritime Training Academy in the United Kingdom. Maja began her yachting career in 2005 as a stewardess on various mega yachts. Working on the private, busy charter and new build yachts, she learned firsthand the operational, technical and administrative aspects of running a super yacht. After gaining this valuable experience while cruising the world, crossing the Suez and Panama channels and the Atlantic ocean, chartering in the Caribbean and West Med, and spending time in some of the best shipyards in Holland, Germany and the USA, Maja left yachts as a chief stewardess in 2008 to open MYS Yachting. She started the company as a boutique yachting company to service luxury mega yachts in Croatia and Montenegro. After a decade of growth and building relationships in the industry and in the region, MYS Yachting is now a diverse team of individuals with backgrounds in yachting, tourism, finance, technology. Initially a maritime/yacht agency for mega yachts in Croatia and Montenegro, MYS Yachting has added VAT and management services.