A superyacht remains one of the ultimate symbols of wealth. But whether chartering for a summer in Monaco or commissioning a bespoke new build to spend New Year in St Barth’s, yachting is about far more than luxury.
Behind the scenes lies a world of complex transactions, negotiations with shipyards and compliance with international regulations, meaning that, regardless of the destination, yacht advisers are essential for navigating the industry’s choppy waters.
The brokers and consultants featured in our 2026 Yacht Advisers Index are as comfortable securing multi-million-pound sales as project managing the construction of custom 60m motor yachts.
Many remain involved throughout the entire ownership journey, from the early stages of considering a purchase to day-to-day operations and management, and then the eventual sale or refit of a vessel. Others are charter specialists, matching clients with high-profile yachts that can cost as much as £3 million per week.
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For some clients, advisers are involved almost daily, liaising with crew, organising schedules, handling logistics and coordinating with charter teams.
Selecting the right vessel is only part of the process, making experienced advisers an indispensable part of any decision. The most successful are not selling a product; they are selling relationships, international reach and trusted judgement.
‘My focus is simple: let owners enjoy their yachts without burden,’ says David Westwood of TWW Yachts.
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When it comes to purchasing a yacht, our research found that delivery times are becoming an increasingly important consideration for buyers. Advisers can often coordinate with shipyards, negotiate build schedules and connect buyers with the right opportunities to prioritise speed of sale.
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Mathieu Bardon of Worth Avenue Yachts tells Spear’s that one recent 44m yacht was placed under contract in just 153 days and completed after 260 days, significantly faster than the industry average of around 500 days.
Specialist brokers are also equipped to guide prospective buyers to vessels that are the right size for them: operating costs, berth availability and crew requirements are all dictated by the size of the yacht. For some owners, for example, a 50m yacht may prove a smarter long-term purchase, particularly when trying to secure a berth in the Mediterranean during the height of summer.
Trends in 2026
The rise of the Gulf
While the Mediterranean remains the centre of international yachting, Middle Eastern buyers are becoming an increasingly important source of demand.
It is no secret that the region has experienced significant growth over the past decade, attracting some of the world’s wealthiest individuals to marinas in Dubai and Abu Dhabi. Venues such as Dubai Marina Yacht Club and Jumeirah Bay’s Bulgari Yacht Club have become popular with UHNWs seeking exclusive berths, private lounges and fine dining.
Several advisers told Spear’s that although they are based full-time in southern Europe, they oversee transactions throughout the Mediterranean and increasingly across the Middle East. Burgess, Fraser Yachts and boutique superyacht consultancy BehneMar, whose CEO is based in Dubai, have all expanded their reach in the region.
One particular draw for clients is the Abu Dhabi Grand Prix, the only Formula One race outside Monaco with its own trackside yacht berths. Both BehneMar and TWW offer exclusive charter packages based around the event.
A new type of client
Family dynasties and inherited wealth have by no means disappeared, but several brokers observed that today’s yacht owners are increasingly entrepreneurs who continue to run their businesses. Many are also younger and are looking for advisers who act as long-term partners rather than transactional brokers.
‘95 per cent of my clients still own or actively run a business,’ notes Bardon.
These clients tend to view their yacht as a practical extension of their lifestyle rather than simply a luxury purchase.
For other firms, a quality-over-quantity approach has proved to be a successful business model, with advisers deliberately choosing to work discreetly with a smaller number of clients. ‘Fewer clients, serviced better’ is the ethos at Cecil Wright & Partners, which has remained a boutique business since its inception in order to retain its agility.
Click the links below to jump to a section of this article:
- Methodology
- The best yacht advisers: some names to know
- The best yacht advisers: the complete list
- Contact us
Methodology
Each year, the Spear’s Research Unit reassesses and refreshes its rankings of the leading providers in each sector by gathering data from and about the advisers and firms themselves, assessing submission forms, collating nominations, carrying out peer reviews, reviewing data from third-party sources, gathering references and recommendations, canvassing experts and conducting hundreds of interviews.
Advisers are evaluated using a proprietary scoring system that assigns different weightings to certain attributes. These scores feed directly into each new set of rankings in the Spear’s Indices. Each of these indices are published first online (according to the research calendar) and then in print. Print publication takes the form of the annual Spear’s 500 directory, which includes the top advisers in every index.
[See also: A guide to The Spear’s 500: Everything you need to know]
Each featured adviser is profiled on spears500.com. The site allows users to search the Spear’s database of more than 4,000 entities to find one (or more) to meet their specific requirements by filtering for specific attributes such as an adviser’s location, their specialist expertise and information about their client base.
The best yacht advisers: some names to know
Jonathan Beckett
- Focus: Yacht brokerage
- Ranking: Top Recommended
- Firm: Burgess
Jonathan Beckett is at the helm of Burgess, the renowned 1975-founded superyacht brokerage that has been integral to the growth of yachting at the top end.
A full-service operator, Burgess is a one-stop shop for superyacht clients, offering specialist expertise in sale and purchase, charter, new-build supervision and operational management. Beckett’s dedicated team provides clients with a range of services that are designed to be discreet and cohesive, as many HNWs prefer keeping their superyacht requirements under wraps for efficiency and convenience.
Read Jonathan Beckett’s full profile on Spears500.com
Chris Cecil-Wright
- Focus: Feadship yachts
- Ranking: Top recommended
- Firm: Cecil Wright & Partners
Chris Cecil-Wright is a yacht specialist who founded his own firm, Cecil Wright & Partners, in 2013 after spending 17 years at Edmiston. He has a particular love for Feadship, but the relationship with the client comes first, a principle that has seen him become one of the most influential brokers in the superyacht class.
‘Being a specialist is an important, substantial value-add that I can provide,’ he tells Spear’s. ‘I have developed and continue to develop a deep knowledge of the industry.’
Read Chris Cecil-Wright’s full profile on Spears500.com
Mathieu Bardon
- Focus: European and Middle Eastern clients
- Ranking: Recommended
- Firm: Worth Avenue Yachts
Mathieu Bardon, managing partner for Europe at Worth Avenue Yachts, oversees the sale, purchase, charter and charter management of yachts for clients across the Middle East and Europe.
Based in the company’s Monaco office, he specialises in yachts from 20m upwards, with vessels typically averaging 35m. He has handled a number of large transactions, including listing the 91m M/Y Dubawi. ‘We sold it 49 per cent faster than the industry average,’ he tells Spear’s.
The majority of Bardon’s business comes through word of mouth. ‘Most are repeat clients,’ he explains. ‘We’ll do the first transaction, and then later we’ll sell the boat and help them buy a bigger one.’
Read Mathieu Bardon’s full profile on Spears500.com
Vassilis Fotilas
- Focus: Sales and charter
- Ranking: Recommended
- Firm: Fraser
Vassilis Fotilas, managing director of Fraser’s Greece division, uses his solid knowledge base and diverse experience to advise on the purchase and sale of superyachts across Europe.
Since joining the firm in 2007, he has concluded close to €500 million worth of yacht sales , with vessels averaging 41.6m in length and built by over 14 different yards.
Fraser is one of the largest brokerage firms in the world, with its Athens office the third largest within the company. ‘Greece has a huge connection to the sea and is the perfect place for yachting,’ Fotilas tells Spear’s.
Read Vassilis Fotilas’s full profile on Spears500.com
The best yacht advisers: the complete list
Contact us
- To apply for inclusion in The Spear’s 500, complete our submission form.
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- If you have missed calendar deadlines for our research cycles in 2026, you can still register your interest for updates about upcoming research and rankings.
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With additional reporting from Caitlin Kilpatrick.
