The Gulf Superyacht Summit 2025 will return for its seventh edition at the Conrad Abu Dhabi Etihad Towers on 4 and 5 December 2025, held just ahead of the Formula 1 Grand Prix at Yas Marina.

For professionals seeking to understand the Gulf’s growing influence in the global superyacht market, or to connect with the individuals driving that growth, the summit provides a focused and relevant platform.SuperYacht Times is pleased to unveil the confirmed topics and speakers for this year’s summit.

Thursday 4 December

08:30 - 09:30 - Welcome Coffee

09-30 - 09:45 - Opening presentation

The Gulf Superyacht Summit will commence with the presentation of the Gulf Superyacht Market Report 2025. This report outlines the positive changes in the region and establishes the key topics for discussion throughout the event.

09:45 - 10:10 Q&A with H.E. Saeed Al Fazari - Executive Director of the Strategy Affairs Sector, The Department of Culture and Tourism (DCT) Abu Dhabi
10:10 - 10:50 - Tracking progress in the Gulf: What comes next?

This session will examine the key developments that have shaped the Gulf’s yachting sector over the past year, considering the progress made, the challenges encountered, and the opportunities emerging across the region.

Hamza Mustafa – Chief Operating Officer, Port Rashid and P&O Marinas (DP World)
Captain Saif Al Mheiri – Abu Dhabi Maritime
Erwin Bamps – Chief Executive Officer, Gulf Craft
Rosanna Chopra – Executive Director, Red Sea Global
Menelaus Kouzoupis – Partner, Stephenson Harwood
Gunther Alvarado – Deputy Chief Executive Officer, Al Seer Marine

10:50 - 11:25 Coffee break

11:25 - 12:05 - Building and services: Capabilities, challenges and the path ahead

This panel will examine the Gulf’s network of shipyards and service companies, evaluating existing refit and maintenance capabilities to determine whether the region is equipped to support a growing fleet of yachts.

Patrick Heslop – Chief Executive Officer, Autore
Bayat Al Qubaisi – Deputy Manager, Blue Gulf Group
Abdulla Ali Al Noon – Director of Special Projects, Dubai Golf
Javier Alcantara - Head of Projects, Al Seer Marine
Sherif Nasser - Commercial Manager at Romeo Marine

12:05 - 12:35 Developing Qatar as a superyacht hub

Qatar’s approach to the superyacht sector differs from other Gulf states that prioritise coastal tourism and marina development. Within the Qatar Free Zones, policymakers are facilitating the establishment of yacht-related businesses, including manufacturing, refit, technical services and elements of the supply chain. These initiatives are intended to broaden the country’s role in the regional yachting landscape beyond visitor attraction.

This panel will examine the current status of these efforts, the capabilities that have emerged to date, and the practical factors that will determine whether Qatar can support a functioning superyacht ecosystem in the future.

Mahmoud Ebeid - Vice president of Strategy & Performance at Milaha
Ahmad Al-Muraikhi - Co-owner Jinan Shipyard

12:35 - 13:15 - Egypt’s growing role in the Red Sea

Egypt plays a crucial role for superyachts entering the Gulf region from the Mediterranean. This panel will examine the country’s recent marina developments and regulatory reforms, and how these may be positioning Egypt as a key link between the Red Sea and the Gulf’s cruising routes.

Bahi Naguib – Operations Director, Felix Maritime Agency
Ryad Eldogueshy – Head of Yachting department and Board Member, South Red Sea Shipyard
Armin Dressler – Owner of 25-metre Lagoon sailing yacht Imladris
Grant Hobart - Deputy Registrar and Commodore, Maritime Cook Islands
Dr. Khaled Sherif - former Assistant Minister of Tourism and chairman of the Eygptian Yachting and Boating Association.

13:15 - 14:45 - Lunch

Gulf Superyacht Marina Overview – Mike Ward, Managing Director at Marina Projects

The Gulf is experiencing significant investment in superyacht infrastructure, with planned projects emerging alongside established destinations. To frame the discussion and clarify the current state of the market, Mike Ward will begin the session with a concise overview of the region’s existing superyacht marina landscape, outlining the scale, distribution and characteristics of key facilities. This context will enable the subsequent presentations from AMAALA and Bahrain to be understood within the wider pattern of regional development rather than as isolated initiatives.

Marina presentations

Following the overview, two presentations will examine marina development in Saudi Arabia and Bahrain, offering insight into how each destination is shaping its role within the Gulf’s evolving yachting landscape. The session will conclude with a brief Q&A involving all presenters, moderated by Mike Ward, Managing Director of Marina Projects.

14:45 - 14:55 - Marina Presentation 1: AMAALA Yacht Club, Saudi Arabia

Adrian Peet, General Manager of the AMAALA Yacht Club, will present the development of the AMAALA Yacht Club, a key component of Triple Bay Marina.

Adrian Peet – General Manager, AMAALA Yacht Club

15:05 - 15:15 - Marina Presentation 3: Bahrain Marina, Bahrain

Haneen Abdulkarim, Director of Project Development at Bahrain Marina and responsible for overseeing the design and construction of the project, will present the development and discuss its role in supporting Bahrain’s growth as a superyacht destination.

Haneen Abdulkarim – Director of Project Development, Bahrain Marina

15:15 - 15:30 - Marina Presentations Q&A

After the presentations, a Q&A session will follow, moderated by Mike Ward, Managing Director of Marina Projects.

15:30 - 16:00 - Owner Q&A

Shirish Saraf, the Indian entrepreneur born in Oman and owner of the 50.29-metre historic superyacht Kalizma, will discuss what drew him to acquire her, the challenges of maintaining a historic vessel, and his experiences cruising onboard Kalizma, as well as his broader perspectives on cruising in the Gulf region.

Shirish Saraf - Owner of Kalizma

16:00 - 17:30 GSS drinks by Stephenson Harwood

19:30 - Dinner at Ilios Beachclub

Friday 5 December

09:00 - 09:45 Welcome Coffee

09:45 - 10:15 - Leveraging AI in the yacht industry

As artificial intelligence gains momentum globally and sees rapid adoption across the Gulf region, this session will examine its practical applications within the yachting sector, including design, maintenance, navigation, and client service.

Stefano Tositti – Chairman and Group Chief Executive Officer, Acquera Yachting
Nicholas Lapp - CTO, Sunreef Yachts
Claire Hagen – Founder, This is Odyssey
Robin Weninger - Managing Partner, Njordis

10:15 - 11:00 - How can we attract owners to base their yachts in the Gulf region?

As more marina developments come into operation and regulatory frameworks continue to evolve, the Gulf continues to see a steady increase in yacht numbers. This panel will explore what more can be done to encourage owners to base their vessels in the region and fully realise its potential as a year-round yachting destination.

Ahmad Al Ameeri – Group Chief Executive Officer, Al Ameeri Group Holding
Nabil El Jammal – Middle East Area Manager, Benetti
Salim Tayssoun – Managing Director, YACHTS1
Jeffrey Maaraoui – Partner, Sea Pros Yachts
Julia Skop – Founder, Smart Yachts

11:50 - 12:30 - Building Itineraries: From Suez to the Arabian Gulf
This session will explore how cruising itineraries can be developed to connect the region’s emerging destinations, from the Red Sea to the Gulf.

Mohamed N. Al Atwaan - Chief Operating Officer, Old Doha Port
Hilary Ackermann – Port Operations and Agency Manager, JLS Yachts
Abdulaziz Higgi – Managing Partner, BWA Yachting Kingdom of Saudi Arabia
Christos Metallinos - Superyacht Captain, 82.5-metre Emir

12:30 - 12:55 - Nuclear horizons: the future of yacht propulsion

Espen Øino will explore how modular nuclear-reactor technology could influence large-yacht design, autonomy and sustainability. The session will examine current technical feasibility, regulatory considerations and the practical outlook for nuclear power within the yachting sector.

Espen Øino – Founder, Espen Øino International
Jonas Viddal - Yacht Designer, Espen Øino International

12:55 - 13:10 - Nuclear Horizons Q&A

The presentation will be followed by a Q&A on the use of nuclear technogloy in the superyacht industry with Engel Jan de Boer of Lloyd’s Register and Ezio Dal Maso of Stephenson Harwood.

Engel Jan de Boer - Yacht Segment Director, Lloyd's Register
Ezio Dal Maso - Superyacht Lawyer, Stephenson Harwood

13:10 - 14:40 - Lunch

14:40 - 15:25 - Keynote interview: Laurens Last - Owners, Heesen Yachts

Laurens discuss his decision to acquire Heesen Yachts and outline his strategic direction for the company, including his vision for sustained growth and innovation.

Laurens Last - owner of Heesen Yachts and 60.96-metre Feadship superyacht Samadhi

15:25 - 15:35 - Closing words

Please note that the final programme and speaker line-up are subject to change.