British Luxury Yacht Brand Sunseeker Changes Hands Again, New CEO Formerly Senior Partner at Apollo
On March 2, British luxury yacht brand Sunseeker confirmed that a consortium formed by KCP Holdings and Lionheart Capital will become the new owner after completing a debt acquisition from existing lenders.
The transaction includes an agreement to acquire 100% of Sunseeker's shares, subject to customary regulatory approvals expected in the coming weeks. During this period, business operations continue as usual.
Founded in 1952, KCP Holdings has offices in New York, London, Singapore, and Washington, D.C. In a statement, the firm said it supports Sunseeker's existing business plan, including investment in product development, restarting the superyacht business, and operational model changes. Further investments are planned in brand, operations, product development, customer experience, and workforce.
As part of the ownership transition, Andrés Rubio (pictured below) has been appointed as the new CEO. He brings over 30 years of commercial leadership and corporate transformation experience across the US, Europe, and Asia. He most recently served as CEO of Swedish credit management company Intrum AB, and previously was a Senior Partner at Apollo International Management.
Additionally, board member Antony Sheriff will serve as Non-Executive Chairman. He has been a board member of Sunseeker since November 2024, previously served as Executive Chairman of Princess Yachts, and earlier as CEO of McLaren Automotive.
Founded in 1969 and headquartered in Poole, southern England, Sunseeker employs approximately 1,900 people and produces about 90 yachts per year, ranging from 55 feet to 134 feet. Around 98% of its products are exported overseas.
In 2013, Chinese real estate company Wanda Group acquired Sunseeker for £300 million (approximately RMB 3 billion at the exchange rate at the time). In November 2024, Italy's Orienta Capital Partners and US-based Lionheart Capital acquired Sunseeker from Wanda.
Sunseeker's sales network now covers over 60 countries. It is reported that at the recent 2026 Miami Yacht Show, Sunseeker sold five yachts.
| Information and image sources: Marine Industry Times; Sunseeker official website