The PYA is excited to announce the upcoming 2024 Sea Changes Forum, which will be held on 26 September at the prestigious International Hydrographic Organization (IHO) in Monaco.

This highly anticipated event brings together a diverse group of professionals, captains, and industry leaders from the global yachting community to address the most pressing challenges and developments in the sector.

Whether you're a yacht captain, industry professional, or a passionate advocate for positive change in yachting, this forum offers invaluable insights and a chance to be part of the conversation.

Explore the full agenda below, including biographies of this year’s guest speakers and an introduction to our sponsors below:

PYA Sea Changes Forum Agenda 2024:

15:30 Forum Registration Open, International Hydrographic Organisation,  

4b Quai Antoine 1er, Monaco

16.00 Christophe Bourillon, CEO Professional Yachting Association (PYA) & Kim Llorente, Operations Manager (PYA) 

• “Welcome & Introduction by the PYA” 

16:03 John Wyborn, International Association of Maritime Institutions (IAMI) Board member, Superyacht Alliance  

• “One Vision – One Alliance - Why Our Industry Needs Collaboration”  

16:11 Joey Meen, IAMI Guest Program Director  

• “Importance & impact of Industry-led Accredited Education” 

16:19 Angela Wallace, Director of Interior Training, Head of Welfare Group, PYA 

• “PYA Welfare Group and Wellbeing”  

16:27 Ajit Jacob, Chief Examiner, Head of Seafarers Technical Delivery, UK Seafarer Services, Maritime & Coastguard Agency (MCA) 

• “Modernisation of Yacht Qualifications”                      

16:42 Julian Smith, Principal Surveyor - Cayman Islands Ship Registry 

• “Overview of the 2024 edition of the REG Yacht Code”      

16:57 Gerard Griffiths, Professional in maritime safety and training, delivering STCW courses, Seascope France   

• “Li-ion Risk Awareness”  

17:02 Mark Savona, Safety Coordinator, Technical Department, Transport Malta (TM) 

• “Different needs, Different Codes” 

17:17 Pierre-Luc Lecompte, Senior Maritime Affairs Administrator, Division of “State Action at Sea”, Head of the Marine Protection and Sustainable Development Unit, French Maritime Administration (Préfet Maritime de la Méditerranée)  

• “The juridical framework of anchoring and mooring of yachts in the French Mediterranean”  

17:32 Richard Falk FRIN, Director of Training and Qualifications, Royal Yachting Association (RYA) (By video Link) 

• “RYA Qualifications and Course Developments” 

17:42 Gregory Romano, Managing Director, Romano Energy 

• “No Petrol” we did it and you? 

17:47 Samuel Harper, Assistant Director for Survey and Operations and the Secretary to the Crowdsourced Bathymetry Working Group, International Hydrographic Organisation (IHO)  

• “Update on the IHO Crowdsourced Bathymetry Initiative”  

18:00 Social gathering on the IHO Rooftop overlooking the port 

Official Guest Speakers:

Christophe Bourillon, CEO Professional Yachting Association 

With 30 years of experience in senior management, public affairs, and crisis communication at the national and international levels, has founded and led various industry associations, such as Wind Europe. He has also driven other organisations through major transformations, including the World Nuclear Association, the European Biofuels Association and the World Federation of Science Journalists. He has managed government relations campaigns for the oil and gas, nuclear, and other industries. As an accredited expert to the United Nations, he participated in the negotiations of the UN Convention on Climate Change for more than 15 years. Currently, Christophe serves as the CEO of the Professional Yachting Association (PYA). 

Kim Llorente, Operations Manager Professional Yachting Association 

With a Master's in Maritime Law, Kim has several years of experience working on yachts. Starting at the PYA as a Sea Service Administrator, she now leads all major operations at the PYA. Overseeing the daily activities of the Sea Service team and providing expert guidance for yacht crew facing complex challenges. Kim is responsible for maintaining strong relationships with key partners and crew, Maritime Administrations and the PYA Agents network, while also driving new business development and IT initiatives. Her dedication to the yachting industry is evident through her active participation in local and international events as a PYA Ambassador and host and guest of numerous webinars. 

John Wyborn, Co-founder and Director of Bluewater  

John is the Director of Crew and Training at Bluewater Yachting, a yacht brokerage, charter, and management company, as well as a provider of crew training and placement services. He is also a board member of the Professional Yachting Association (PYA) and the International Association of Maritime Institutions (IAMI), where he serves as Chairman of IAMI’s influential Small Ship subgroup. Additionally, John sits on the boards of both the Merchant Navy Training Board and the Maritime Skills Alliance. After university, John joined the Royal Navy as a seaman officer and served on various vessels, including frigates and destroyers, eventually commanding HMS Mentor, a navigation and seamanship training vessel, where he trained Royal Navy personnel and foreign navies. 

Joey Meen, Director of the International Association of Maritime Institutions (IAMI), Director of the IAMI GUEST Program, and President of the Superyacht Alliance for Professional Standards. 

With over 30 years of experience, Joey is a prominent figure in the yachting industry, having been instrumental in advancing yacht education and training, managing RYA and MCA training schools in the UK and France, and later serving for 15 years as the Director of Training Development & Certification at the Professional Yachting Association (PYA).  Joey founded the GUEST Program (Guidelines for Excellence in Superyacht Training) launched in 2013 and under IAMI's governance, with over 36 accredited training providers offering more than 40 courses globally. She has also spearheaded initiatives like the RYA Personal Water Craft for Super Yachts, the RYA Super Yacht Tender Operators course, and the SYBAss-led Yacht Owners Representative Program. Actively engaged in shaping yacht education, Joey's motivation extends to influencing industry standards through collaborations with key associations such as PYA, MCA, RYA, IAMI, and SYBAss.   

Angela Wallace, Director of Purser Trainer  

Purser Trainer offers one-to-one, blended online VLE training for Pursers onboard Super Yachts. The Purser program is fully accredited under IAMI & GUEST, and Angie is shortly launching the new IAMI GUEST Accredited Mental Wellbeing Course. Angie is also the PYA Director of Interior Training volunteers as head of the PYA Welfare Group. Her passion is not only for training present and aspiring Pursers, but also for supporting and ensuring crew welfare across the board. 

Ajit Jacob, Chief Examiner, UK Seafarer Services, and Head of Seafarer Technical Policy for the maritime and Coastguard Agency 

Ajit is the Chief Examiner for MCA and has been in the role since 2018. He joined the Maritime and Coastguard Agency in 2013, after spending 17 years in the Merchant Navy. During his career at sea, he served as Officer on Aframax Tankers and VLCC’s and as Chief Officer and Master on Ro-Pax Ferries. He joined MCA as Examiner of Mates and Masters with the Seafarer Training Branch. Thereafter, he joined the Marine Office as a Surveyor, carrying out Surveys, Audits, and Port State Control Inspections on a broad range of vessels. In his current role as Chief Examiner, Ajit is actively involved in the Seafarer training modernisation programme being coordinated by the MCA. Ajit has a master's in international Commercial Law, is an Associate Fellow of the Nautical Institute, Member of the Institute of Chartered Shipbrokers and Younger Brother of the Trinity House.  

Julian Smith, Principal Surveyor - Cayman Islands Shipping Registry 

After graduating from University, Julian joined Lloyd’s Register in 2004 as a Surveyor in the Yacht and Special Service Craft Department. In 2014, he joined the Fire & Safety Plan Appraisal Department as Lead Specialist (Yachts) and was responsible for the appraisal of plans and documentation for various superyacht projects. In 2017, he joined the Cayman Islands Shipping Registry and is now responsible for the survey and certification of superyachts from both a new build and in-service perspective and specialises in passenger yachts. He also acts in the capacity of Code Secretariat for the REG Yacht Codes and participates in various industry working groups regarding regulatory development. Julian is a Chartered Engineer and Member of the Royal Institute of Naval Architects. 

Gerard Griffiths, Professional in maritime safety and training, delivering STCW courses, Seascope France 

Ged Griffiths is a seasoned professional in maritime safety and training, delivering STCW (Standards of Training, Certification, and Watchkeeping) courses for Seascope France. His extensive background includes service in the Navy and a distinguished career in the UK firefighting service, where he was based at one of the busiest stations in the country. Drawing on his wealth of experience and expertise, Ged now dedicates himself to educating future seafarers, sharing the critical knowledge and skills he has acquired throughout his career. 

Mark Savona, Safety Coordinator, Technical Department, Transport Malta (TM) 

Mark Savona is a Safety Coordinator at the Technical Department of Transport Malta’s Merchant Shipping Directorate. His focus and responsibility for the last nine years has been in ensuring that Maltese registered commercial yachts comply with the required safety standards established in Malta’s Commercial Yacht Codes, as well as assisting with the implementation and development of the Codes with Classification Societies, Government Surveyors, Yacht Builders and Managers.  

Pierre Luc-Lecompte, Senior Maritime Affairs Administrator, Division of “State Action at Sea”, Head of the Marine Protection and Sustainable Development Unit, French Maritime Administration (Préfet Maritime de la Méditerranée) 

Pierre-Luc Lecompte is a distinguished maritime administrator, currently serving as Deputy to the Head of the State Action at Sea Division for the Maritime Prefecture of the Mediterranean in Toulon, since July 2023. In this role, he leads the regulatory, maritime activities, and marine environment offices, overseeing strategic dossiers for the entire Mediterranean coast. His responsibilities include managing teams of both military and civilian personnel, and steering the revision of the Mediterranean strategic plan, offshore wind farm planning for 2033 and 2050, and expanding protected marine zones. 

Richard Falk, Director of Training and Qualifications for the Royal Yachting Association  

Born in Australia, Richard spent much of his childhood in, on or under the water. He continued with his passion for the sea as he moved into adulthood before finally giving up a successful corporate management career 24 years ago to turn his passion for the sea into a career, becoming a commercial master for both sail and power vessels under 200 gt. He went on to work in various parts of the world and has skippered many of the major international yacht races, including around-the-world events. For the last 12 years, he has had responsibility for the management of the RYA’s Training schemes and publications business globally as the Director of Training and Qualifications. Richard works closely with the government, both in the UK and abroad, as well as with other boating governing bodies, making sure their qualifications are as widely recognised abroad as possible. 

Gregory Romano, Managing Director, Romano Energy 

Gregory Romano is a visionary entrepreneur and president of Romano Energy, a pioneering company in the production of sustainable synthetic biofuels. Founded in Monaco in 1896, the company has evolved from the fossil fuel sector to become a 100% petroleum-free fuel producer. In 2009, under Gregory's leadership, Romano Energy launched the "ZEROFOSSIL`22" program, aiming to eliminate all use of fossil fuels by 2020, a goal successfully achieved. Today, Romano Energy transforms various waste materials, such as recycled plastics and used oils, into synthetic biofuels, contributing to CO2 reduction and the circular economy. Gregory is firmly committed to combating climate change by promoting energy solutions that eliminate dependence on fossil resources. Under his leadership, the company continues to innovate, providing clean and sustainable fuel solutions to meet the current and future needs of industries. 

Samuel Harper, IHO assistant director for Survey and Operations and the Secretary to the Crowdsourced Bathymetry Working Group 

Sam Harper is IHO assistant director for Survey and Operations and the Secretary to the Crowdsourced Bathymetry Working Group. He was previously Head of Hydrographic Programmes at the UK Hydrographic Office and has worked in international development and policy-making in the UK government. He has helped over 25 nations globally to build their national hydrographic infrastructure. As part of his current role, he is also the permanent secretary to GEBCO and the IHO representative to the Hydrographic Surveys Working Group. 

Supporting sponsors for the 2024 Sea Changes Forum

VSF Group

VSF has been providing the finest wines to the yachting community for 30 years. With over 30,000 bottles in stock, we offer immediate availability of many of the world’s finest wines. Our wine experts work around the clock to answer your enquiries and we have our own fleet of vans and drivers to ensure that the wines get to you on time and in perfect condition.

Macor & Yachtelec (Amarix Group)

Yachtelec & Macor Yacht Repairs are part of the Amarix Group and trusted partners of the PYA and of prestigious brands in the yachting industry. With 800m² workshops in La Ciotat shipyard and 30 skilled collaborators, including a design office and project managers, they handle extensive refit projects with expertise.

Bluewater

Bluewater has been training and recruiting crew for over 30 years and is dedicated to ensuring a high level of excellence in the industry. Our comprehensive services cover all aspects of yachting, including yacht management, charter services, and yacht sales.

Committed to innovation and service excellence, Bluewater continues to lead the way in the yachting industry, with our recently launched yachting app for everything a seafarer needs to manage their career.

IAMI / Guest Program

The International Association of Maritime Institutions (IAMI) is the largest network of maritime colleges and universities, with a century-long history of collaboration. While it began in the UK, IAMI has expanded globally in the past decade, and now welcomes maritime education and training providers worldwide. Its core mission is to facilitate communication and collaboration across all maritime industries between regulators, employers, and educational bodies involved in delivering maritime training.

MYBA

MYBA is an international professional organisation, founded in 1984, with both Corporate and Individual Members. The Association's mission is to inspire, support and empower people in the superyacht industry to be their best: by maintaining business at the highest level of ethical conduct, committing to equality and diversity, protecting the environment, sharing knowledge and combining strengths, building strong relationships, and continuously developing, both professionally and personally.

Romano Energy

Romano Energy specialises in bespoke designs for the yachting industry. Provide your yachts with clean energy, free of smoke and odor, while preserving the marine environment.

Seascope France

Seascope France, an award-winning superyacht crew training centre based in Antibes, offers high-quality MCA, RYA, and IAMI / GUEST approved entry-level and advanced courses for new and experienced crew.

Amico & CO

Amico & Co is a full-service refit shipyard servicing and refitting superyachts <140m LOA. Amongst the leading companies in the sector globally, founded in 1991, with a 90% international clientele, on average 130 projects are completed every year. With in-house departments and a 4000T ShipLift, it offers covered dry-docking for yachts <100m LOA and operates a 26-berth facility, Waterfront Marina.

The PYA will be sharing various updates and insights throughout the day using the #SeaChanges hashtag across all social media platforms. Internet users can participate in discussions using the hashtag to share various perspectives on yachting.

We look forward to welcoming you to Monaco for a day of meaningful discussion, networking, and collaboration at the 2024 Sea Changes Forum.

If you have any questions related to this year’s event please contact us: office@pya.org