SST2026 AGENDA
4-5 NOVEMBER
THE PENINSULA ISTANBUL
Please note that this agenda is currently under development and remains subject to change. We will continue refining the programme and updating session details on a regular basis. Additional speakers, moderators, and new agenda elements will be announced in the coming weeks.
4 NOVEMBER
9.00 - 18.00 | PANELS & NETWORKING
19.00 | COCKTAIL RECEPTION
DRAFT AGENDA – SUBJECT TO CHANGE
Reading the Market: What 2026 Told Us and What 2027 Might Bring
2026 delivered mixed signals. Strong demand remained in parts of the market, while longer build slots, rising costs and shifting buyer priorities continued to reshape decision-making. With another year of order books, shows and transactions behind us, what exactly did the market tell us and where does it point next?
● Which segments actually performed in 2026 and where did momentum start to soften?
● Has the cost of waiting become a bigger risk than the cost of buying?
● Türkiye continues to climb. Is it now entering a different league within global yacht building?
● Buyer behavior is changing. Are clients becoming more cautious, more informed or simply more selective?
● Monaco Yacht Show and FLIBS often reveal shifts before the numbers do. What did this season quietly tell us?
● Beyond yachting itself, how are confidence, capital flows and global economic cycles influencing decision making?
Managing Complex Yacht Projects
Large yacht projects rarely follow a straight path. A successful build no longer depends only on design or engineering. Contracts, communication structures and long-term project alignment increasingly determine whether projects stay on track or slowly drift off course.
● How do contracts, specifications and GA development set the course?
● Owner expectations and project realities naturally evolve over multi year builds. How do shipyards and owners stay aligned?
● Which stages create the greatest pressure and where do delays typically begin?
● Inspections, technical reviews and sea trials are often where theory meets reality. What challenges tend to emerge late in the process?
● Class societies, flag authorities and certification bodies are becoming increasingly involved throughout projects. How is their role evolving?
● What does effective warranty support look like today?
What Can Yachting Learn from Luxury’s Biggest Brands?
Luxury is changing faster than many industries expected. Influence no longer comes only from advertising budgets or traditional prestige. Communities, creators and experience driven ecosystems increasingly shape how brands build loyalty and relevance. While fashion, hospitality, automotive and aviation continue experimenting with new models, yachting faces a familiar question: how much should it borrow, and how much should remain uniquely its own?
● Luxury sectors outside yachting continue to reinvent themselves. Which ideas genuinely translate into this industry?
● Influence increasingly comes from communities and cultural relevance rather than campaigns alone. How should yacht brands respond?
● The relationship between brands and audiences is becoming more direct. What can yachting learn from membership models and community building?
● AI is beginning to personalize luxury experiences across multiple sectors. Can technology create something more meaningful without making experiences feel identical?
● Some luxury trends arrive with real long term value, others disappear quickly. Which trends deserve attention, and which should be approached carefully?
● Heritage remains one of luxury's strongest assets. But in a changing market, can brands preserve identity without standing still?
New Owners, New Capital and the Future of Advisory
A new generation of wealth is entering the market with different habits and different definitions of ownership. As capital moves globally, the traditional ownership journey is starting to evolve. The bigger challenge now may not be understanding these shifts, but identifying how the industry can respond earlier, build stronger foresight and stay ahead of changing client expectations.
● The largest wealth transfer in history is underway. How much will it reshape future demand?
● Capital migration increasingly influences where people live, invest and spend time. How is yachting responding?
● Family offices and advisors now sit closer to purchasing decisions than ever before. How is their role changing?
● Flexibility and access increasingly shape luxury consumption. Is ownership itself being redefined?
● Which regions and destinations stand to benefit from these long term shifts?
Mediterranean Dynamics & The Making of a Luxury Destination
This panel will explore how changing regional dynamics influenced movement across the Eastern Mediterranean and Gulf regions during 2026 Season, while examining which regions gained advantage, and what increasingly defines a successful luxury destination in today's market.
● How did owners, captains and charter clients respond to the new variables across parts of the Eastern Mediterranean in practice ?
● Looking back at the season, what shifts in destination choices became visible?
● Cruising patterns rarely change overnight, but routes do evolve over time. Which regions quietly gained momentum this season?
● As destinations compete for long term relevance, what will actually create an advantage going forward?
The Future Inside: Rethinking Yacht Interiors for a New Era
Sustainability is moving beyond materials and aesthetics into broader conversations around longevity and lifecycle thinking. As interiors become increasingly connected and adaptable, the challenge may no longer be adding more, but designing spaces that remain relevant over time.
This panel will explore how interior design is adapting to a changing understanding of luxury, technology and life onboard.
● Flexible layouts are appearing across more projects. Is adaptability becoming a new form of luxury?
● Sustainability discussions increasingly go beyond materials alone. As lifecycle thinking gains momentum, where does real impact begin?
● Sustainability has become part of almost every conversation. How does the industry separate meaningful change from good storytelling?
● What will make a yacht interior still feel relevant ten years after delivery?
Brokerage is entering a different phase. Technology, data and changing client behavior are reshaping how people discover, evaluate and purchase yachts. Long established business models are beginning to face new expectations.
The New Rules of Yacht Brokerage
● AI and intelligence tools are entering workflows. Where are they genuinely improving brokerage?
● Has fragmentation made buying and selling more complicated than it needs to be?
● Brokerage increasingly feels like an ecosystem business. What does platform thinking actually mean in practice?
● The client journey looks different today. Where is trust now built?
● What will separate future-ready brokerage businesses from everyone else?