Lorna Titley

Director, Quaynote Communications

Ken Hickling

Non-Executive Director, Riela Yachts

After graduating from Southampton Institute (now Solent Uni) in Boat building and Boatyard Management, Ken worked for four years with Isle of Wight composites specialist SP System (now Gurit).  He switched to International Paint, initially as a Product Manager and then moved to sister company Interlux in the States becoming VP Marketing.  He returned to Europe a few years later in a commercial role, eventually becoming Global Manager for the Awlgrip business, now also within the AkzoNobel yacht portfolio.  After working in paint for a total of 21 years, Ken became an independent business advisor including working as a Non-Executive Director for Viking Maritime Group and also Riela Yachts.

During that time he has served as Treasurer, VP and President of ISS, BSi Representative on the ISO working group for Large Yachts, committee member and Vice Chair of Superyacht UK and is an honorary Fellow of the International Institute of Marine Surveyors.  He is also a trustee of the Superyacht Charities Foundation.

Ken is a keen sailor and actually enjoys golf from time to time.

Hon. Chris Bonett

Minister for Transport, Infrastructure & Public Works, Government of Malta

Minister for Transport, Infrastructure and Public Works. Dr Chris Bonett was elected in Parliament in March 2022 from the fourth district and was appointed as Parliamentary Secretary for European Funds.

He is currently serving the role of Minister for Transport, Infrastructure and Public works.

Dr Stephan Piazza LL.M.(IMLI)

Advocate

Roberto Perocchio

Italian Marina Association /Assomarinas

Roberto Perocchio was born in Aschaffenburg (Germany) in 1961.

Graduated in law, he owns and manages two real estate companies and the yacht harbour “Marina del Cavallino” in the province of Venice.

He is currently president of Assomarinas, the Italian national marina association with 84 members.

Since 1990 he’s also member of the board of Confindustria Nautica, the Italian National

Marine manufacturers association which organises the Genova Boat show.

Since 1991 he’s member of IMG, the Icomia Marinas Group, the department of Icomia (International Council of Marine Industries Associations, based in London) dedicated to the international marina branch, which organizes the World Marina Conference every two years in different parts of the world. He’s been appointed chairman of IMG from 2009 to 2017.

Since 2016 he’s also board member of Federturismo-Confindustria, the National Italian Federation of tourism enterprises based in Rome.

From 2005 to 2016 he’s also been managing director of Venezia Terminal Passeggeri S.p.a., the company which manages the cruise port of Venice, one of the most important in the Mediterranean Sea.  

Onur Ugan

Marin Operations and Marina Consultant

In this role, Onur is responsible for all the operations in the marina, budgeting, staff trainings, customer relationship, follow the investments which is decided by board, improve the business and quality level of the marina. However another responsibility is to offer new ideas and business opportunities to management. Another objective is to represent the group in the best way around his location. One of his roles is to keep the seas clean as this is an environmental marina business in the area.

Onur Ugan started the work as third officer in a commercial vessel which is 256 meters. He completed his military service as a second lieutenant. He started in the marina sector as a dock master in Port Gocek Marina in 1999. He has worked as a berth master, Senior Berth Master, Front Office Clark, Front Office Manager, Boatyard and Front Office Manager. He was appointed as Marina Manager when Dogus Group bought the Port Gocek Marina in December 2010. He has been the Turkey Operation Director since February 2018.

Onur Ugan graduated from Fishery Faculties at Aegean University in İzmir. He has a Diving Licence, Class III Master Captain Licence, IRC Measurer Licence. Also he is currently vice-president of Chamber of Shipping Fethiye Branch. He is the local representative of the Cruising Association, Swedish Cruising Club and Kreuzer- Abteilung. 

He is Vice-commodore of Göcek Yacht Club and President of Gocek Culture and Tourism Association.

He lives in Göcek, Fethiye, Muğla,Turkey

Niki Travers Tauss

Azimut|Benetti Malta & D-Marin Country Manager-Malta

Jason Oates

Founder & CEO, Jaymo

Jason is a highly accomplished professional with a diverse background in finance, aviation, marine, private family office management and entrepreneurship.

After working as Finance Director of a large cargo Airline Jason join the single family office (SFO) of one of the Forbes top 50 richest families in the world. In this capacity, he oversaw the management of aircraft, yachts, and properties across multiple jurisdictions, ensuring efficient operations and compliance.
In 2012 he was approached with an enticing opportunity to invest and join Magma Aviation, a startup 747 cargo airline. The company’s exceptional performance and reputation attracted attention, leading to its eventual sale in 2017.

While still at Magma Jason was headhunted back into the SFO as the CFO/COO. He became accomplished in navigating the complexities of different legal and regulatory frameworks. He built up a rapport with many leading advisors across the world to ensure compliance and mitigate risks associated with international transactions.
Working within the SFO provided a unique platform to understand what services UHNWI’s need and depend on, driven by his entrepreneurial spirit and the desire to provide an exemplary service Jason founded Jaymo. The core ethos is ‘Built on Trust’, we gain it, we build on it and then we keep it, this raises the bar above our competitors and ensures that we are always looking after our clients’ needs in the best possible way.

Additionally, Jason has been and is a Non-Executive Director for various businesses in the steel, packaging, and healthcare sectors. His broad experience and deep understanding of finance and operations have made him a valuable asset to these companies and their shareholders.

Alison Vassallo

Partner, Fenech & Fenech

Alison Vassallo is a Partner of Fenech and Fenech Advocates and heads the Yachting Department. She also works within the Marine Litigation Department.

She qualified in 2004 with a Doctorate of Laws from the University of Malta and obtained her Masters Degree in International Maritime Law from the International Maritime Law Institute in 2005.

She joined Fenech and Fenech Advocates in 2006. For the past 16 years she has advised and co-ordinated projects for owners and financiers relating to the acquisition and sale of private and commercial yachts with regard to registration, financing, chartering, leasing and fiscal requirements and solutions.

Furthermore her areas of practice within the firm embrace all aspects of maritime law including EU shipping law, recognition and enforcement of foreign judgements and arbitral awards, ship

arrest and other precautionary measures for obtainment of security and co ordination of tender procedures involving a maritime element.

Alison is a Council and Executive Board Member within the Malta Chamber of Commerce, Chairperson of the Yachting Trade Section within the Chamber of Commerce, Member of the Chamber of Advocates, Committee Member of the Malta Maritime Law Association (MMLA) and a Board Member of the yachting sub committee formed within the MMLA.

Alex Chumillas

Tax Marine & Aviation Spain SL

Alex advises both on tax and customs matters and on transactions and investments in Spain, yacht and aircraft purchases, tax audits, and as well on owning and operational structures. He has worked for top-tier foreign broker companies, yacht management and legal firms and foreign investors in Spanish marinas, most of which remain regular clients.

Degree in Economics, Master in International Trade, Master in Taxation, Post-degree in Yachting Business, Post-degree in the Insurance Industry, Post-degree in Customs Procedures and Licensed as Spanish Administrative Manager (2006).

He is a regular speaker at international conferences and workshops on tax matters concerning yachting. He has contributed to the specialist “Law of Yachts and Yachting” textbook published in 2012.

Founding member of the Barcelona Nautical Cluster, and member of EBAA and SPBAA.

Jean-Philippe Maslin

Partner, Richemont Delviso

I am a lawyer qualified in French and English law.

I advise on the litigation and transactional aspects in insurance, maritime and yachting, commercial and employment disputes.

Andrew Wilson

Head of Aviation and Marine, Zedra

He has worked in Accountancy, Audit and Tax services for a broad range of business owners. Since 2007 Andrew has specialised in corporate services, with a focus on the ownership and tax structuring of trading companies, property, yachts, helicopters and private aircraft for private and corporate clients.

He specialises in bespoke ownership structuring in multiple jurisdictions, providing special purpose entities for a variety of purposes, yacht and aircraft registration, tax/VAT mitigation and deferral, as well as managing sale and purchase transactions and the day to day oversight of specialist structures.

Andrew has key relationships with clients, bankers, customs agents, tax advisors, lawyers and intermediaries and is responsible for managing multiple EU VAT compliance and tax reclaims for ZEDRA’s clients.

Andrew trained with a firm of Chartered Certified Accountants, The Institute of Indirect Taxation and the Institute of Export and International Trade. He was instrumental in assisting ZEDRA to attain its Authorised Economic Operator status.

Janet Xanthopoulos

Director, Head of Yacht and Aviation Department, Rosemont

Janet has an international background and graduated at University of Aix-Marseille III.  She has Masters in International/European and Maritime Law.

Since 2001 Janet has gained significant working experience in the yachting sector in Europe and recently in Asia and headed up the yacht departments of two other Luxembourg and Monaco based companies. Her extensive legal, fiscal and commercial experience is further strengthened with a practical background in the yacht sector ensuring the delivery of a dedicated range of services to the most exacting standards.

As head of the Marine & Aviation Division, Janet leads a team of professional and highly experienced people who can assist owners and brokers during all the ownership process starting from the purchase or construction up to the sale by considering also their structuring, legal, tax, financing, registration, insurance, crewing and day to day administration needs.

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 fiscal representation and charter and management services.

Annalise Zammit

COO & Deputy Registrar, MBR

Dr Geraldine Spiteri Lucas

CEO & Registrar, MBR

The Chief Executive Officer and Registrar of the Malta Business Registry Dr. Spiteri Lucas is a lawyer by profession who acquired a Doctor of Laws from the University of Malta and a warrant to practice in Maltese Courts. She also read a Masters Degree in European Studies and Comparative Law in 2012.

Dr. Spiteri Lucas started her career with a leading local law firm, advising local and international clients on civil, commercial, corporate, shipping and aviation law. This resulted in representing various clients in litigation procedures before Tribunals and local courts. She is also a member of the board of examiners for the department of Commercial Law of the University of Malta.

Previously to her MBR appointment, she used to head the legal and enforcement Unit of the said entity and oversaw its overall function. Dr. Spiteri Lucas was instrumental in subject persons and CSPs in intricate legal issues. She also played a crucial role in implementing the action plan put forward by the FATF such as the implementation of the BO Register. This crucial work resulted in Malta being put off the grey list. She was also involved in the transposition of EU Directives relating to company law into Maltese law and the upkeep of the Companies Act and relevant regulations.

Dr Matthew Attard

President, Malta Maritime Law Association

Michael Mifsud

CEO, Yachting Malta

Dr Ingrid Hamilton

Official Receiver

Marthese Portelli

CEO, Chamber of Commerce

Edward Wollaston

Vice President, Casualty and Major Claims, Skuld London

Edward is a member of Skuld’s Casualty and Major claims team, bringing his technical experience to the club. His role includes attending casualties on site, managing salvage and wreck removal cases and their contracting for Skuld, and the training of colleagues for casualty and major claims situations.

He was a Member of the Lloyd’s Special Casualty Representative (SCR) Panel; is a Chartered Engineer and a Fellow of the Royal Institution of Naval Architects.  He is particularly experienced in dealing matters related to marine casualty; classification; stability; large yachts; as well as ship structural; conversion and newbuild disputes.

He was Shipping Technical Director with marine consultants LOC Group; working for them for almost 12 years, based in their London and Hong Kong offices.

Edward has provided expert reports for London arbitration, the Hong Kong High Court in a criminal case, and given oral evidence in arbitrations.

He has attended vessels for salvage and wreck removal; as well as undertaken accident investigations and damage surveys.

Edward has provided technical advice on wreck removal; salvage operations worldwide and conversions; in addition to newbuild disputes in the Asia region.

Prior to LOC, Edward worked for classification society Det Norske Veritas as a Ships in Operation and New Build Surveyor; based in Europe and China.

Charles Talarmin

French Navy Officer

Charles Talarmin, having joined the French Navy in 2010, served on several warships, honing his expertise in the Law of the Sea and crisis management. In 2020, he became the Head of the Maritime Emergency Response Office within the maritime Prefecture for the Channel and the North Sea. In this role, he oversaw operational readiness and developed contingency plans for Salvage, Oil Spill Response, and Search and Rescue at sea. Additionally, he actively promoted international maritime cooperation with key stakeholders. He is now attending the french War College.

Nigel James

Master Mariner & Director, Waves Group, Member of the Lloyd’s SCR Panel

Nicola Dyer

Claims Manager – Yachts, Shipowners` Club

Nicola Dyer brings over two decades of experience to her role as Claims Manager specialising in yachts at The Shipowners’ Club, based in their London office. Her journey with the Club commenced in 2001 when she joined the Claims department.  In 2009, Nicola relocated to Singapore to aid in establishing The Shipowners’ Club’s presence in the region. It was during this period that Nicola undertook a Post-Graduate Diploma in Maritime Law.

After six years of contributing to the growth and success of the Singapore office, Nicola returned to London in 2015, where she now heads up the Yacht claims team, handling a variety of non-injury yacht claims, such as collisions, damage to property and wreck removals.

Manos Mariakis

Mentor Marine

Manos is working as a marine consultant and surveyor with Mentor Marine Consultants since 2008 in both their Greek and Turkish offices. He has been mainly dealing with H&M damages, P&I claims, Salvage & Oil Spill Response Consultancy work, Warranty Surveys, Yacht and Condition Surveys. He has previous experience as an assistant Superintendent, gaining seagoing experience and attending at new-building projects and dry-dock repairs in China and Korea. He is a Chartered Marine Technologist, Member of the Institute of Marine Engineering, Science and Technology – London and the Hellenic Technical Consultants Association. He is also a Member of the Technical Chamber of Greece and certified for OPRC OSR – Level II.

Jessica Galea

Senior Associate, Head of Yachting, Dingli & Dingli Law Firm

Jessica Galea graduated as a Doctor of Laws (LL.D) from the University of Malta in 2008 and was admitted to the Maltese Bar in January 2009. She read a Master’s Degree in international maritime law at the IMO’s IMLI, and graduated in May 2009.  

Jessica joined Dingli & Dingli Law Firm in June 2009 and is a Senior Associate in the Firm’s Shipping and Yachting Department. She works on all shipping and yachting related matters, including yacht and vessel registrations; assistance from a legal perspective with the establishment of yacht leasing structures including finance and operating leases; yacht importation procedures; yacht sale and purchase; yacht finance and mortgage registration; setting up of shipping organisations and advice on various regulatory issues.

Jessica is a member of the Malta Chamber of Advocates and the Malta Maritime Law Association (MMLA), and forms part of the MMLA’s yachting sub-committee. Jessica also represents Dingli & Dingli Law Firm as a member of the Malta Chamber of Commerce, and since 2023 is a committee member of the Malta Chamber of Commerce’s Yachting Services Business Section. She was elected Secretary of the Super Yacht Industry Network Malta in 2024.

Jeroen Van den Hurk

CEO, Van Berge Henegouwen

Jeroen van den Hurk’s career trajectory demonstrates a consistent pursuit of excellence and innovation across various sectors, culminating in his role as CEO of Van Berge Henegouwen (VBH) since April 2019.

With nearly five years at the helm of VBH, van den Hurk has led the company to specialize in the development, integration, and installation of high-end technology for luxury homes, whether on land or at sea. His tenure at VBH is characterized by pushing the boundaries in AV, IT, lighting, control, communication, and security products, thereby enhancing lifestyle with new and innovative experiences. Under his leadership, VBH has reinforced its position as a leader in integrating luxury technology onboard superyachts and inside private residences, leveraging over 30 years of experience in the industry.

Before ascending to his current position at VBH, Jeroen van den Hurk nurtured a profound passion for innovation and technology, which is evident throughout his diverse career. As Managing Director at VDL Industrial Modules, Jeroen van den Hurk led significant advancements in high-tech development and production. His tenure at Philips, where he served as Director of Marketing & Sales and OEM Manager, further highlighted his ability to drive innovation and global market growth in the electronics sector, showcasing his knack for pioneering technology introductions.

Jeroen van den Hurk’s career is distinguished by his relentless pursuit of new technologies and innovative solutions, underpinned by a firm belief in the transformative power of innovation across industries. His success in integrating luxury technology onboard superyachts and in private residences at VBH, alongside his leadership in high-tech developments and global marketing strategies, epitomizes his visionary approach and unwavering commitment to excellence in technology and innovation.

Ben Pym

Managing Director & Engineer, Engineered Marine Systems

Joe Degabriele

Senior Business Development Manager, MB92

Joe has over 30 years of experience in the superyacht refit world having occupied a number of senior management positions at refit facilities in the US, France, Italy and Malta. 

Joe’s current main area of focus is the commercial development of the new 4,300t shiplift in La Ciotat, which was delivered in September 2022.

Pierre Balzan

Melita Marine Group

Pierre, as Owner and Managing Director has over 35 years’ experience in the Yachting Industry with MELITA MARINE GROUP having various direct important investment interests in Malta, Greece, Cyprus and Spain in the fields of owning and operating Refit Yards, Engineering Workshops, Marinas, Chandlery, Management, Charter and Brokerage.

Representing also various high quality Brands such as Rolls Royce / MTU engines and sustainability products exclusively in Malta, Greece & Cyprus with over 8,000 sqm of workshops.

Present yards yacht lifting capability of 5,000 tons.

Marinas totalling 300 berths.

Direct employed workforce of over 300 plus approved subcontractor back up in all competencies required in the yachting Industry.

Pierre is currently focusing on the Melita Marine Group expansion in Spain, France, Italy, Croatia as well as Dubai in line with their 2030 strategy.