British boatbuilder Sunseeker International has confirmed it is under new ownership – an announcement that follows on from previous speculation.
As part of the transition, Scott Millar will step down from his role as interim CEO and Andrés Rubio will become permanent CEO. Antony Sheriff will be become non-executive chairman.
Antony has been a board member of Sunseeker since November 2024 and was formerly the executive chairman of Princess Yachts and prior to that, the CEO of McLaren Automotive.
A debt purchase from the existing lenders by an investment consortium led by KCP, in partnership with Lionheart Capital, is expected to be completed this week, with the KCP group also shortly entering into an agreement to purchase 100% of the shares in Sunseeker.
I have long admired Sunseeker as the pinnacle of luxury yacht building and its heritage genuinely sets it apart.
Andrés Rubio
The transaction is subject to customary regulatory approvals which are expected to be completedin the coming weeks, during which period the business will continue to operate as normal.
The boatbuilder says the deal provides the financial stability and long-term commitment the business needs to deliver on its ambitions.
It follows a series of recent capital investments in the business as Sunseeker prepares for its next chapter of growth.
KCP was established in 1952 and has facilities in New York, London, Singapore, and Washington, DC.
The organisation says it is committed to the long-term with Sunseeker and to investing in the boatbuilder’s future.
Further investment
In a statement, KCP said it is fully supportive of Sunseeker’s existing business plan, which includes investment in next-generation product development, the reintroduction of a Superyacht offering and transformation of the operating model.
KCP also says it is committed to further investment across Sunseeker’s brand, operations, products, customer experience, and people with the goal to make it the best producer of yachts in the world.
Andrés Rubio has a 30-year track record in commercial leadership and business transformation across the US, Europe and Asia.
He was most recently the CEO of Intrum, a publicly listed pan-European credit management business and prior to that served as a senior partner at Apollo Management International.
We now have committed owners, an established leadership team, an industry-leading chairman, and a clear plan.
Andrés Rubio
“I have long admired Sunseeker as the pinnacle of luxury yacht building and its heritage genuinely sets it apart,” said Andrés.
“It is an honour to be leading the business at such an exciting time and with a clear path to transformative growth.”
He continued: “I am also privileged to be joining a highly experienced leadership team and a dedicated workforce who are the heart and soul of the Sunseeker brand.
“We now have committed owners, an established leadership team, an industry-leading chairman, and a clear plan.
“With the backing of KCP and Lionheart and an accelerated focus on delivering our ambitions, I look forward to the opportunities ahead.”
