An interview with ‘My Yacht Group’ Founder Nicholas Frankl

By Paul Joseph

Now in its 12th year, My Yacht Monaco is an exclusive four-day experience that takes place during the Monaco Grand Prix. During the event, discerning guests and luxury brand partners are invited to enjoy an extraordinary weekend of Formula One race viewing and luxury hospitality aboard a private yacht.

With this year’s Monaco event less than two months away, we took the opportunity to sit down with Nicholas Frankl, co-founder of My Yacht Group, to find out more about the prestigious occasion and the company’s burgeoning operations across the world. 

Superyachts: Can you start by telling us a little about the company’s background and what inspired you to create it?

Nicholas Frankl: I was running the royal jeweller Asprey’s sponsorship with the Ferrari F1 Team from 96-99 when Michael Schumacher, Eddie Irvine and Jean Todt were with the team and quickly realized that the guests of the team’s commercial sponsors were from a totally different socio-economic background than these high net worth entrepreneurs, CEOs, Lords, Ladies, music and movie celebrities. It was clear that we had to create a like-minded & sophisticated experience with which all of our guests were comfortable, so I suggested a VIP yacht at the Monaco F1 GP. We hosted a fabulous evening aboard “Iroquois” with owner John Henry and It was a tremendous success!  

Since those early days, as mass luxury has expanded with globalization around the world and true luxury occasions for UHNW guests have diminished with too much clutter trying to reach the 1% and 0.1%, we built on our annual signature My Yacht Monaco weekend experience with the generous support of some extraordinary guests, and have organically and annually expanded to more and new events globally.

What type of services do My Yacht Group provide and what events can people find you at around the world?

We connect the world’s most interesting people, using a super yacht to elevate the brand and guest experience whilst showcasing the yacht for sale or charter and whilst remaining focused on our category-exclusive, best in class brand partners’ objectives whether they be private Swiss banks like Vontobel, The Government of Bermuda and Bermuda Business Development Agency, Silver Arrows Marine, Bvlgari or Perrier Jouët to host & appreciate their top clients whilst also engaging with our own qualified Ultra High Net Worth attendees.  We concentrate on curating a very intimate and friendly environment that enables meaningful relationships to be established.

How would you describe your clients – do they share any common characteristics?

They are all successful in their chosen fields. From astronauts to surgeons, industrialists to financiers, photographers, models, actors, to musicians, artists, racing drivers, Olympic athletes, each one is a high achiever who appreciates being in like-minded, synergistic company.

Why do you think yachting and Formula One complement each other so well?

They are both at the pinnacle of human engineering and design. They represent the best in the automotive and nautical professions and attract a very similar clientele. There is no greater experience and ‘bucket list’ item than watching the Monaco Grand Prix weekend from the stern of our super yacht moored trackside on Quay Kennedy whilst sipping chilled Perrier Jouët and Whispering Angel rosé!

I understand you are planning an event for the America’s Cup Final in Bermuda later this year – what can you tell us about that?

Yes. In partnership with our global partner the Bermuda Government and BDA we will bring the magic & glamor of My Yacht to the America’s Cup for the Finals week, June 21-26, with two separate experiences. 

Firstly a private invitation-only My Yacht Group reception for 120 America’s Cup and Bermuda dignitaries aboard a super yacht moored in Hamilton.  And secondly we will create My Yacht Club Bermuda, an exclusive nightclub experience on Front Street, right in downtown Hamilton, similar to our past 5 years of success with My Yacht Club at the Austin F1 GP (Oct 21-23).  Four nights only, private tables, bottle service, international DJs, live entertainment.   

Are there any ambitions to expand the company over the coming years?

We are expanding every year! We were the first to host a super yacht reception at the famed Pebble Beach Concours d’Elegance five years ago, the first to host one at Art Basel Hong Kong three years ago, and the first to establish the My Yacht Club at the Austin F1 Grand Prix.

We launched My Yacht St. Bart’s last December as the opening event of the high season on that little Caribbean paradise with our partners Bvlgari, Si Barth, Perrier Jouët and Gustavia Yacht Club, and benefitting Operation Healing Forces. It was such a hit we repeated it again for Valentine’s week and are making this an annual celebration with Bvlgari in December.

This is in parallel with our new Los Angeles yacht party on October 14th, plus Bermuda is taking our fabulous experiences to new audiences and locations, which is really exciting.  And for 2018, we’re also looking at Singapore and South America.

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By Paul Joseph