Sunseeker assets transferred in pre-pack administration sale

Sunseeker International has acquired the business and assets of its former UK and European distributors, Sunseeker London and Sunseeker Poole, through a pre-packaged administration sale. The operations will be transferred to the recently established Sunseeker Europe division.

The news comes after independent distributors Sunseeker London and Sunseeker Poole (SSL) filed notices of intention to appoint administrators on 2 September 2026.

The acquired assets will be run by Sunseeker Europe, a new operation recently established by Sunseeker International that will take responsibility for distribution, service and warranty support across the European and international territories previously served by Sunseeker London and Sunseeker Poole.

Financial and real estate advisory firm BTG has advised Sunseeker London and Sunseeker Poole, the UK and European sales distribution network for Sunseeker yachts, on the sale of their business and assets to Sunseeker International through a pre-packaged administration sale.

‘Up to 42’ roles to be transferred

Sunseeker is also offering roles to up to 42 former Sunseeker London employees as operations move into the Sunseeker Europe structure. The firm says this will retain expertise and existing customer relationships during the transition.

Sunseeker London was established more than 30 years ago as an independent organisation selling and supporting Sunseeker yachts. The business later expanded into the Sunseeker London Group and became the largest official distributor of Sunseeker yachts, selling more than half of the company’s annual production and servicing a significant proportion of the European market.

Robert Ferne, partner at BTG, says: “In recent years, the luxury motor yacht industry has faced challenging trading conditions and economic uncertainty, resulting in reduced sales volumes across a number of high-end yachting segments. The downturn in the marine sector has been well documented, and its impact has been felt across the industry, but where there are strong underlying businesses there are good opportunities to create value.

“BTG, Sunseeker London, Sunseeker Poole and Sunseeker International worked collaboratively together to identify a solution that would enable the businesses to continue operating through a pre-packaged administration transaction, whilst being about to offer roles to 42 former employees and maximising value for creditors. We look forward to seeing the business establish itself with a stronger footing and fulfil its potential in the coming months and years.”

Sunseeker London operated a substantial overseas distributor network operating under the Sunseeker name, with businesses in France, Germany, Italy, Spain, Greece, Cyprus, Egypt, Turkey, Portugal, Montenegro and Croatia. The wider group also operates UK brokerage and charter businesses. According to the group, it sold more than half of the Poole shipyard’s annual production.

No interruption to customer orders

Sunseeker International says production at its Dorset facilities is continuing, with no interruption to customer orders or yachts currently under construction. Customers with yachts in build or on order will continue to receive support during construction, delivery and handover, while existing owners will continue to receive service, aftersales and warranty support from the Sunseeker team. Sunseeker Europe will operate from the company’s Dorset facilities.

The distributor changes come after a period of financial restructuring at Sunseeker International. The manufacturer was acquired from China’s Dalian Wanda Group in November 2024 by US-based Lionheart Capital and Italy’s Orienta Capital Partners. The transaction was funded through a combination of debt and equity and placed about £70m of secured term debt on the business. Within a year, breaches of the loan covenants had resulted in a default.

A consortium led by KCP Holdings, together with Lionheart Capital, agreed in March 2026 to acquire the business outright, but the transaction subsequently collapsed. Cheyne Capital and Cross Ocean Partners, which had provided emergency funding during 2025, acquired the business in July 2026 and have since provided about £68m of additional funding on top of the original facility.

Sunseeker reveals new branding at Cannes 2026

Sunseeker has this week outlined a new brand direction and future design language at the Cannes Yachting Festival, where it also revealed the 45M Superyacht concept, launched the 86 Ocean Enclosed and presented the first 94 Manhattan.

The announcements form part of a wider product strategy under newly appointed CEO Scott Millar.

The new brand platform is called The Original Mavericks. Sunseeker says it draws on the company’s history of developing new yacht categories and challenging established design approaches, and that it is intended to represent the designers, engineers, craftspeople and owners associated with the brand.

“Sunseeker became one of the most admired names in yachting by refusing to follow convention,” says Scott Millar, chief executive. “This is a brand built by people willing to think differently, take risks and push boundaries. That spirit is central to our future.”

The company has also set out design principles for its future product ranges. Each range will have a more distinct identity while retaining common Sunseeker design characteristics. Predator will focus on performance, Manhattan on contemporary luxury, Ocean on exploration and capability, while Superyacht will place greater emphasis on individuality and personalisation.

During its Cannes press conference, Sunseeker said the new design language is not intended to centre on “quiet elegance”, with the company looking at how its yachts can appeal to a wider range of buyers.

The new design language uses cleaner profiles, stronger proportions, sharper glazing treatments and more sculptural surfaces. Sunseeker also plans to examine how interior and exterior spaces are used on board, with future concepts considering areas such as wellness, recovery, fitness, sleep optimisation and adaptive living environments.