FLIBS 2022: Alastair Callender on Leading Moravia’s US Expansion

Since 1962, Moravia Yachting has been a staple brand in luxury yachting. Throughout the years, its core values and guiding principles have remained constant. Now part of the unrivalled Hill Robinson Group, Moravia Yachting’s expansion into the US market has been fronted by Alastair Callender, drawing on a proud background in yacht design and extensive experience in the region.

“In 2020 I was asked to launch the Americas region for Moravia Yachting,” explains Alastair. “It’s a very historic brokerage house, we’ve been based in Monaco since 1962 and the opportunity arose – we realised that the Americas region is incredibly important. Over a quarter of yacht owners are based in the United States, it’s a very mature market here.”

An expert in his field, Alastair draws not only on his extensive experience in the region, having been based there since 2011, but also his unique background in yacht design – which he applies on a daily basis to help guide his clients.

Back at a full-throttle FLIBS for the first time since the pandemic, Alastair reflected on success and strong performance over the last two years.

“We’ve had a record number of yacht sales in recent years, and that’s also reflected in the charter market – we’ve had historic levels of charter on the retail side. That’s very promising and exciting for the future.

“Over 70% of yacht owners today previously chartered, and so it’s often that pipeline of people coming into yacht ownership through their first experience of being on a yacht charter.

“Certainly a trend I’m seeing is that the clients as an average are becoming younger. People who are able to make significant wealth in their 40s, 30s, or even 20s now. Perhaps as a result yachting is also becoming more active and experiential.”

Another area given impetus by the demographical shift has been the focus on sustainability, something that Alastair is well placed to advise on considering his design background and own philanthropic work.

“I very much believe that sustainability is absolutely fundamental for our industry,” states Alastair. “After all, if we didn’t have beautiful and pristine oceans, there would be no yachting. We’re a key stakeholder and we must do what we can to support that agenda.

“I’m honoured to be an advisor to the United Nations NGO Committee on Sustainable Development. Through that, I can also explain more to the world about what the yachting industry is doing in a sustainable way.”