On 20 April, the 2016 MYBA Annual General Assembly (AGM) was held in the South of France, providing MYBA members with the opportunity to review the year, discuss future plans and stage elections to determine the composition of the new board moving forward. The new board have since met to re-allocate committees for an injection of new ideas and renewed momentum.

“We have a very strong and energetic team this year to spearhead these new projects”, starts Fiona Maureso, President of MYBA. “We have a team of nine now as opposed to the eight last year – four of which are new to the board – with the new position focused on competency, education and training."

“Though we’re an association of yacht brokers, charter brokers and yacht managers, MYBA recognises that, ultimately, we all work for the yacht owners and their interests must be protected. With yachts becoming so much larger and demanding many more crew, we foresee a shortfall in crew over the next 10 years,” explains Maureso. “This new role will be working alongside PYA and other crew associations to map the career paths of crew members and ensure that enough people are coming into the industry with the correct qualifications and that they have something to show should they decide to leave the industry.”

The elected MYBA board members

The newly formed MYBA board will be addressing what is ostensibly an integral period for the industry with myriad new legislations coming into force and the pace of change ceasing to relent.

Maureso outlines some of the current and upcoming projects that the MYBA members will be working towards modernising and rectifying. “We will be revising the MYBA sales Memorandum of Agreement (MOA), which hasn’t been revised since 2008,” she says. “It needs to be updated and brought in line with new business practices and legislations."

“The current charter agreement is also undergoing revision. There is a moratorium on the duty on fuel until 1st October, which MYBA was instrumental in bringing about. It gives us time to review how the contract can be amended in alignment with new legislations in order to continue benefitting from duty-free fuel. But, ultimately it comes down to the owners with regards to which contracts they wish to use – all we can do is propose whilst they dispose.”

On 10 May, MYBA will be issuing a revision to the current MYBA charter agreement. As well as bringing the agreement in line with legislation, the process will also include textual clarifications and amendments.

“These contracts are the tools of the industry. They are written and owned by MYBA and must be subsequently developed and revised in accordance with industry changes,” concludes Maureso.

MYBA is proud to present the following members of the board:

Fiona Maureso (Sales, Tax & Law)

Niall Robinson (Yacht Management)

Adelheid Chirco (Charter)

Gaye Joyeau-Bourgeois (Membership)

James Graham-Cloete (Charter Shows)

Marta Iglesias (IT)

Tove Johnson (Communications)

John Wyborn (Competency, Education & Training)

Maura Zane (Social)

The officers of the board are:

Fiona Maureso (President)

Marta Iglesias (Vice President)

Cora Tracey (General Secretary)

Profile links

MYBA The Worldwide Yachting Association

Click here to become part of The Superyacht Group community, and join us in our mission to make this industry accessible to all, and prosperous for the long-term. We are offering access to the superyacht industry’s most comprehensive and longstanding archive of business-critical information, as well as a comprehensive, real-time superyacht fleet database, for just £10 per month, because we are One Industry with One Mission. Sign up here.