top of page

Leadership in Yachting 2024 - Webinar now available

1 February 2024

Our recent Leadership in Yachting webinar has been released, revealing insights into industry practices and expert opinions from a host of guest speakers.


Our latest webinar focused on the strength of leadership as a force for good in the wider industry, with perspectives shared from our guests who have a range of experiences in crew management, welfare, working onboard vessels, and within the education sector.


“We want to thank our members and participating guest speakers for sharing their industry knowledge during our Leadership in Yachting 2024 webinar. We look forward to furthering these discussions in the near future on the important topic of leadership in our industry,” said Kim Llorente, Office Manager for the PYA.

The PYA regularly engages with the industry in order to highlight evolving standards, new technologies and the latest training for yacht crews. You can see who was involved in our latest webinar below.


The speakers

  • Marianne Danissen, Camper & Nicholsons Head of Management.

  • Captain Micheál Pierse, PYA member and MCA Master / HELM instructor for Bluewater.

  • Karen Passman, Founder of Impact Crew.

  • Captain Kelly Gordon, an advocate of strong leadership and a spokeswoman for mental health awareness.

  • Robin Weninger, Co-Founder and Managing Director of the executive education company Global Institute of Leadership and Technology (GILT).


The core safety leadership qualities


  • Confidence and authority

  • Instil respect and command authority

  • Lead the team by example

  • Draw on knowledge and experience

  • Remain calm in a crisis

  • Empathy and understanding

  • Practise “tough empathy”

  • Be sensitive to different cultures

  • Recognise the crew’s limitations

  • Motivation and commitment

  • Motivate and create a sense of community

  • Place the safety of crew and passengers above everything

  • Openness and clarity

  • Communicate and listen clearly


Leading for Safety: Additional resource

This a comprehensive guide published by the Maritime and Coastguard Agency (MCA). It aims to assist leaders and senior officers in the maritime industry in improving their leadership and people management skills to ensure safety on board.

This resource emphasises the critical role of leaders in developing and maintaining a safe maritime environment.


For more details, you can refer to the official guide https://www.gov.uk/guidance/leading-for-safety


To access the full webinar visit: https://youtu.be/6wrwByg6JNY

More news

Statement from the Professional Yachting Association (PYA) regarding the tragic sinking of Bayesian

Antibes (France), 26 August 2024 - In light of the recent tragic sinking of the yacht Bayesian and loss of lives, we understand that many are deeply concerned and eager to know the details surrounding this unfortunate event. However, we urge everyone—media, the public, and all interested parties—to refrain from speculating on the causes, responsibilities, or circumstances until the official inquiry is concluded.

PYA Agents Network around the world

As the season begins and you embark on your global travels, we want to ensure that our PYA members have access to essential services. To facilitate this, we have enlisted a network of PYA Agents located around the world. These agents specialize in certifying original documents, helping you maintain accurate profiles and supporting your MCA applications.

A surge in unqualified crew with fake or purchased CoCs

The Professional Yachting Association (PYA) and the Italian Yacht Masters Association (IYM) sound the alarm on a hidden danger: a surge in unqualified crew with fake or purchased Certificates of Competence, which raises potential safety issues for crew, passengers, and vessels.

bottom of page