British luxury yacht manufacturer Sunseeker is in the process of being sold to KPC, a private investment vehicle, with a new management team being assembled to run the Poole-based company.
The deal, first reported by Sky News, would mark the third change of ownership in less than two years for one of Britain’s most recognised marine brands. Sunseeker employs around 2,000 people across its Dorset facilities, making it one of the largest employers in the south of England.
The acquisition comes after months of financial restructuring under Teneo, the advisory firm appointed in late 2025 to oversee the company’s recovery. It also follows the collapse of Sunseeker’s US export market and wider pressure on British boat builders as global demand has softened.
New Leadership Team
People close to the deal told Sky News that KPC planned to install Antony Sheriff as Sunseeker’s chairman. Sheriff is the former boss of rival Plymouth-based yacht builder Princess Yachts, where he served as executive chairman from 2016 until its acquisition by KPS Partners in 2023. Before Princess, Sheriff was chief executive of McLaren Automotive and has held leadership positions at Aston Martin and Pininfarina. He currently chairs the supervisory board of the Rimac Group and Bugatti Rimac.
Sheriff had already joined Sunseeker’s board as a non-executive advisory member in November 2024, shortly after the company’s previous change of ownership.
Andres Rubio, the former president and chief executive of European credit management firm Intrum, is expected to become Sunseeker’s next chief executive. Rubio stepped down from Intrum in July 2025 after completing the Swedish-listed company’s recapitalisation. His background spans senior roles at Apollo Management International, Morgan Stanley Principal Investments and Cerberus Capital Management.
Government Approval Required
The deal is understood to be awaiting government approval under the National Security and Investment Act (NSIA) because of Sunseeker’s ownership and use of key marina sites. The NSIA gives the UK government powers to scrutinise and intervene in transactions that could pose risks to national security.
Sources said the new backers planned to inject significant resources into re-establishing Sunseeker as a successful British-based manufacturer.Sky News
A spokesperson for the new owners declined to comment.
Turbulent Recent History
The latest change of ownership caps a turbulent 18 months for Sunseeker. The company was sold to Lionheart Capital and Orienta Capital Partners in November 2024, ending 11 years of ownership by Chinese conglomerate Dalian Wanda Group, which had acquired Sunseeker in 2013 for £320 million.
Under Lionheart and Orienta, the company announced up to 200 redundancies in June 2025, citing softening global demand and political and economic uncertainties driven by trade tariffs. That figure was later reduced to around 50 compulsory redundancies, with 44 new roles created.
By late 2025, Sunseeker’s principal debtholders, Cheyne Capital and Cross Ocean Partners, had injected fresh capital into the business. Teneo Financial Advisory was appointed to oversee the restructuring, with two of its representatives installed as receivers over shares in Sunseeker Investments Limited, an indirect parent company.
In December 2025, chief executive Andrea Frabetti departed after six years at the helm. Scott Millar, a senior managing director at Teneo, was appointed interim CEO while the search for permanent leadership was conducted.
Founded in Poole in 1969
Sunseeker was founded by brothers Robert and John Braithwaite in 1969 as Poole Power Boats, rebranding to its current name in 1985. The company manufactures luxury performance motor yachts ranging from 38 to over 130 feet across its Superyacht, Yacht, Ocean and Performance ranges. Production is based across multiple facilities in Poole, with a deep-water shipyard at Hythe in Hampshire for larger vessels.
Despite its recent financial difficulties, Sunseeker’s order book has remained active. Construction of the new flagship 134 Superyacht, a 41-metre model designed in-house, was scheduled to begin in March 2026 with two hulls already sold.
The brand remains one of the most visible in British luxury manufacturing, with prominent placement across four James Bond films and a global network of distributors.
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.
