Sunseeker International has launched Sunseeker Europe, a new division taking direct responsibility for distribution, service and warranty support across the European and international territories previously covered by its independent distributors Sunseeker London and Sunseeker Poole.
The move follows notices of intention to appoint an administrator filed by both companies, referred to jointly as ‘SSL’ in Sunseeker’s announcement. Neither will continue to operate as Sunseeker International’s European distributor. The two companies are separate legal entities from Sunseeker International and share the same two directors, David Lewis and Christopher Head. Sunseeker’s statement says the notices relate solely to the two distributors and do not affect Sunseeker International’s own operations, production or financial position.
Production at Sunseeker International’s Dorset facilities continues without interruption, with customer orders and yachts currently under construction unaffected. Owners will continue to receive service, aftersales and warranty support from the Sunseeker team, with Sunseeker Europe operating from the same Dorset facilities.
Andy Gawthorpe, Chief Commercial Officer, Sunseeker International
“The launch of Sunseeker Europe marks an important step in bringing our customers closer to the heart of the Sunseeker brand. Owning a Sunseeker has always been about more than the yacht itself, it is about the people, expertise and passion behind creating it together. By taking responsibility for these markets, we can build even stronger relationships with our customers, provide a more connected and seamless experience, and give owners greater access to the teams who design, engineer and build our yachts.”
Gawthorpe was appointed Chief Commercial Officer as part of a wider leadership overhaul at Sunseeker in July. The distributors losing their rights under his announcement were built by one man over more than three decades, longer than any of Sunseeker’s own owners have lasted.
Three Decades Building Sunseeker London
David Lewis’s career in the marine industry began in the 1960s at Lewis Marine, his father’s company in Wanstead, East London. Sunseeker itself did not yet exist. It would be founded as Poole Powerboats by Robert and John Braithwaite in 1969, and would not take the Sunseeker name until 1985. Christopher Head joined Lewis Marine some years later as a 16 year old apprentice engineer, working his way into sales.
In 1993, Lewis and Head set up Sunseeker London as an independent dealership. By 2018, when IBI profiled the pair from their Mayfair headquarters, the Group had grown to 39 offices, 170 staff and turnover above £200 million, with 2017 profits set to top £9 million. IBI reported at the time that the company had the scale and governance to consider a flotation on London’s AIM market.
David Lewis, Managing Director, Sunseeker London Group, to IBI, 2018
“It’s not enough to have a good product nowadays.”
Robert Braithwaite, Sunseeker’s late founder, credited the pair directly with the shipyard’s success, saying Lewis, Head and their team had been instrumental in building the business to where it stood.
The Group kept growing. Its most recently filed accounts, for the year to 31 December 2024, showed sales of £246 million, with 120 staff working from 26 offices holding exclusive rights across 33 countries in Europe and North Africa, Europe’s largest motoryacht distributorship by any measure. Sunseeker Poole, also directed by Lewis and Head, ran alongside it as the brand’s flagship dealership, a short walk from Sunseeker’s own shipyard.
Four Owners in Three Years
Through all of that growth, Sunseeker International itself changed hands repeatedly. Dalian Wanda Group held the Poole builder for 11 years from 2013 before selling to Lionheart Capital and Orienta Capital Partners in November 2024. A consortium led by KCP Holdings completed a takeover in March 2026, only for that deal to collapse the following month when KCP could not finalise its funding. Cheyne Capital and Cross Ocean Partners, already lenders to the business, then took it on themselves, confirmed as long-term owners in July with Scott Millar installed as permanent chief executive.
Sunseeker London and Sunseeker Poole, under Lewis and Head, were the one part of the business that stayed the same through all of it, until now.
What Continues
Lewis and Head’s separate venture, Undiluted Spirit, which holds UK sales rights for the Axopar and Brabus brands, is expected to continue trading regardless of what happens to the two Sunseeker distributors. Sunseeker Europe will take over distribution, service and warranty responsibility in their place, operating from Sunseeker’s existing Dorset facilities.
John Moore is the editor of Powerboat News, an independent investigative journalism platform recognised by Google News and documented on Grokipedia for comprehensive powerboat racing coverage.
His involvement in powerboat racing began in 1981 when he competed in his first offshore powerboat race. After a career as a Financial Futures broker in the City of London, specialising in UK interest rate markets, he became actively involved in event organisation and powerboat racing journalism.
He served as Event Director for the Cowes–Torquay–Cowes races between 2010 and 2013. In 2016, he launched Powerboat Racing World, a digital platform providing global powerboat racing news and insights. The following year, he co-founded UKOPRA, helping to rejuvenate offshore racing in the United Kingdom. He sold Powerboat Racing World in late 2021 and remained actively involved with UKOPRA until 2025.
In September 2025, he established Powerboat News, returning to independent journalism with a focus on neutral and comprehensive coverage of the sport.
