The Professional Yachting Association (PYA) is delighted to announce the 2025 edition of the Sea Changes Forum, to be held on Thursday 25 September 2025, at the International Hydrographic Organization (IHO) in Monaco, as part of the Monaco Yacht Show.

Bringing together leading professionals, regulators, and crew representatives, the Sea Changes Forum provides a platform to explore the latest developments in the industry. Topics include regulatory updates, certification pathways, crew welfare, and career progression, offering valuable insights for all those working in yachting.

Since its launch in 2011, the Sea Changes Forum has become a cornerstone of the Monaco Yacht Show calendar, offering a platform for open dialogue, knowledge sharing, and collaboration across the yachting community. We warmly invite all industry stakeholders to join us for an afternoon of insight and exchange, and an evening of meaningful connections in the heart of Monaco.

PYA Sea Changes Forum Agenda 2025:

15:30 Forum Registration Open, International Hydrographic Organisation,  

4b Quai Antoine 1er, Monaco  

16:00 Christophe Bourillon, CEO Professional Yachting Association (PYA) 

• “Welcome & Introduction by the PYA” 

16:05 Mathias Jonas, Secretary-General International Hydrographic Organization (IHO) 

• “Welcome to the IHO” 

16:10 Pierre-Luc Lecompte, Senior Maritime Affairs Administrator, Division of “State Action at Sea”, Head of the Marine Protection and Sustainable Development Unit, French Maritime Administration (Préfet Maritime de la Mediterranee) 

• “Main evolutions of the juridical framework of yachting in the French Mediterranean in 2025, with focus on mooring and anchoring regulations” 

16:20 Rachel Andrews, Chief Instructor for the RYA Power schemes 

• “RYA Update from Training and Qualifications” 

16:35 John Wyborn, Co-founder and Director of Bluewater 

• “Training doesn’t have to be in the classroom” 

16:50 Jason Collings, Director, Safety & Compliance of the Cayman Island 

• “Regulatory Update & Initiatives - Cayman Islands Shipping Registry” 

17:05 Ajit Jacob, Chief Examiner, Head of Seafarers Technical Delivery, UK Seafarer Services, Maritime & Coastguard Agency (MCA) 

• “Update on UK Seafaring Training & introduction of the new Yacht Unlimited CoCs” 

17:25 Joey Meen, Director of the International Association of Maritime Institutions (IAMI), Director of the IAMI GUEST Program, and President of the Superyacht Alliance for Professional Standards. 

• “Education at the Core - investing in people is not optional, it’s essential” 

17:40 Mathias Jonas, Secretary-General International Hydrographic Organization (IHO) 

• “Update on the IHO Crowdsourced Bathymetry Programme” 

17:50 Sam Stewart, Founder and Director of Relief Crew Foundation 

• "Connecting skills with purpose; volunteering's positive impact on crew and the yachting industry” 

18:00 Social gathering 

Official Guest Speakers

Christophe Bourillon, CEO Professional Yachting Association 

With 30 years of experience in senior management, public affairs, and crisis communication at the national and international levels, has founded and led various industry associations, such as Wind Europe. He has also driven other organisations through major transformations, including the World Nuclear Association, the European Biofuels Association and the World Federation of Science Journalists. He has managed government relations campaigns for the oil and gas, nuclear, and other industries. As an accredited expert to the United Nations, he participated in the negotiations of the UN Convention on Climate Change for more than 15 years. Currently, Christophe serves as the CEO of the Professional Yachting Association (PYA). 

Mathias Jonas, Secretary General International Hydrographic Organization (IHO)

Dr Mathias Jonas is the Secretary-General of the International Hydrographic Organization (IHO) since 2017. Prior to this appointment he was Vice President of the Federal Maritime and Hydrographic Agency and National Hydrographer of Germany with responsibility for sea survey and sea cartography. Being originally a mariner, Dr Jonas has been involved in the digital transition of those two disciplines since the beginning of the nineties. As one of his current responsibilities he holds the Chair of the Hydrographic Commission on Antarctica. He is the author of numerous publications on technical aspects of the digital provision of marine geoinformation and strategic considerations on the future of hydrography.

Pierre Luc-Lecompte, Senior Maritime Affairs Administrator, Division of “State Action at Sea”, Head of the Marine Protection and Sustainable Development Unit, French Maritime Administration (Préfet Maritime de la Méditerranée) 

Pierre-Luc Lecompte is a distinguished maritime administrator, currently serving as Deputy to the Head of the State Action at Sea Division for the Maritime Prefecture of the Mediterranean in Toulon, since July 2023. In this role, he leads the regulatory, maritime activities, and marine environment offices, overseeing strategic dossiers for the entire Mediterranean coast. His responsibilities include managing teams of both military and civilian personnel, and steering the revision of the Mediterranean strategic plan, offshore wind farm planning for 2033 and 2050, and expanding protected marine zones. 

Rachel Andrews, Chief Instructor, Power, managing Powerboat, Personal Watercraft and Inland Waterways training schemes, Royal Yachting Association (RYA) 

Rachel Andrews is the Chief Instructor, Power at the Royal Yachting Association, responsible for managing the RYA’s Powerboat, Personal Watercraft and Inland Waterways training schemes.

After spending 15 years in the outdoor and watersports sector as an instructor and professional skipper, Rachel Joined the Royal Yachting Association as Chief Instructor, Power. Her passion is introducing people to outdoor activities and encouraging personal development. She delivered training to a wide spectrum of boaters, from new boat owners to coastguard agencies seeking further training for their boat crews. At the RYA, she has been involved in all aspects of managing the Power Schemes including instructor training, developing courses such as the RYA Powerboat Tender Operator course, and working with national and local government agencies towards safe management of personal watercraft.

Outside of work, Rachel is an adventurous outdoor swimmer, seeking out rivers, beaches, waterfalls and interesting events to take part in.

John Wyborn, Co-founder and Director of Bluewater  

John is the Director of Crew and Training at Bluewater Yachting, a yacht brokerage, charter, and management company, as well as a provider of crew training and placement services. He is also a board member of the Professional Yachting Association (PYA) and the International Association of Maritime Institutions (IAMI), where he serves as Chairman of IAMI’s influential Small Ship subgroup. Additionally, John sits on the boards of both the Merchant Navy Training Board and the Maritime Skills Alliance. After university, John joined the Royal Navy as a seaman officer and served on various vessels, including frigates and destroyers, eventually commanding HMS Mentor, a navigation and seamanship training vessel, where he trained Royal Navy personnel and foreign navies. 

Jason Collings, Director, Safety & Compliance, Cayman Island

Jason's career started at Warsash, Southampton in 1990, where he trained as a Marine Engineer Cadet. He spent several years at sea, eventually qualifying as an Unlimited Chief Engineer. Seeking further academic advancement, Jason earned an MSc in Marine & Offshore Engineering from Liverpool John Moores University. Following his studies, he transitioned to a shore-based role and joined Lloyd’s Register as a Marine Surveyor.

Jason joined the Cayman Islands Shipping Registry as a Marine Surveyor in 2007. He quickly took on the responsibility of managing a portfolio of over thirty new build yachts, including the pioneering Passenger Yacht Code certified vessel. Today, Jason serves as Director of Safety & Compliance (Operations), where he leads regulatory oversight across multiple domains, including STCW compliance, supporting the Registry’s commitment to safety, quality, and innovation in maritime operations.

Ajit Jacob, Chief Examiner, Head of Seafarers Technical Delivery, UK Seafarer Services, Maritime & Coastguard Agency (MCA)

Ajit is the Chief Examiner for MCA and has been in the role since 2018. He joined the Maritime and Coastguard Agency in 2013, after spending 17 years in the Merchant Navy. During his career at sea, he served as Officer on Aframax Tankers and VLCC’s and as Chief Officer and Master on Ro-Pax Ferries. He joined MCA as Examiner of Mates and Masters with the Seafarer Training Branch. Thereafter, he joined the Marine Office as a Surveyor, carrying out Surveys, Audits, and Port State Control Inspections on a broad range of vessels. In his current role as Chief Examiner, Ajit is actively involved in the Seafarer training modernisation programme being coordinated by the MCA. Ajit has a master's in international Commercial Law, is an Associate Fellow of the Nautical Institute, Member of the Institute of Chartered Shipbrokers and Younger Brother of the Trinity House.  

Joey Meen, Director of the International Association of Maritime Institutions (IAMI), Director of the IAMI GUEST Program, and President of the Superyacht Alliance for Professional Standards. 

With over 30 years of experience, Joey is a prominent figure in the yachting industry, having been instrumental in advancing yacht education and training, managing RYA and MCA training schools in the UK and France, and later serving for 15 years as the Director of Training Development & Certification at the Professional Yachting Association (PYA).  Joey founded the GUEST Program (Guidelines for Excellence in Superyacht Training) launched in 2013 and under IAMI's governance, with over 36 accredited training providers offering more than 40 courses globally. She has also spearheaded initiatives like the RYA Personal Water Craft for Super Yachts, the RYA Super Yacht Tender Operators course, and the SYBAss-led Yacht Owners Representative Program. Actively engaged in shaping yacht education, Joey's motivation extends to influencing industry standards through collaborations with key associations such as PYA, MCA, RYA, IAMI, and SYBAss.

Sam Stewart, Founder and Director of Relief Crew Foundation 

Sam Stewart is the founder and director of Relief Crew Foundation, a non‑profit that taps into the skills and resources of the yachting industry to support communities in genuine need.  After spending 10 years working on yachts, in 2025, the first mate left his boat to establish this non-profit organisation that connects crew members with volunteering opportunities around the world. Since starting Relief Crew, Sam has led projects in Morocco, Ghana and Greece with volunteers from more than 10 yachts involved. With a model that benefits communities in need, yacht crew and the yachts they work on, the foundation has had overwhelming support from within the yachting industry during its first year. 

Our proud sponsors for the 2025 Sea Changes Forum

VSF

VSF has been providing the finest wines to the yachting community for 30 years. With over 30,000 bottles in stock, we offer immediate availability of many of the world’s finest wines. Our wine experts work around the clock to answer your enquiries and we have our own fleet of vans and drivers to ensure that the wines get to you on time and in perfect condition.

MYBA

MYBA is an international professional organisation, founded in 1984, with both Corporate and Individual Members. The Association's mission is to inspire, support and empower people in the superyacht industry to be their best: by maintaining business at the highest level of ethical conduct, committing to equality and diversity, protecting the environment, sharing knowledge and combining strengths, building strong relationships, and continuously developing, both professionally and personally.

Bluewater

Bluewater has been training and recruiting crew for over 30 years and is dedicated to ensuring a high level of excellence in the industry. Our comprehensive services cover all aspects of yachting, including yacht management, charter services, and yacht sales.

Committed to innovation and service excellence, Bluewater continues to lead the way in the yachting industry, with our recently launched yachting app for everything a seafarer needs to manage their career.

Superyacht References

Superyacht References is an innovative new platform set to revolutionise the yacht crew recruitment process. Built by a captain, for captains, senior crew and agents, it’s a pioneering solution to the challenges of undertaking background checks, verifying crew references alongside a mentoring and career guidance program.

Hill Robinson

Hill Robinson was specifically created to manage the operational complexities of the world’s largest superyachts, bringing technical excellence to a full spectrum of services. Today, Hill Robinson offers specialised yacht management, project management for new builds and refit, charter management, corporate services, crew placement, payroll and recruitment, plus a host of other services from VSAT to aviation.

Yacht Purser

The Yacht Purser team at The White Admin Company delivers discreet shoreside support to vessels from 40m to 80m operating worldwide —streamlining administrative, logistical, and compliance tasks. With over 20 years of purser experience, they provide proven systems, flexible service packages, and PAYG options that save time, optimise crew efficiency, and reduce onboard workload.

Guest Program

GUEST provides a portfolio of Programs and Courses, delivered by IAMI GUEST Accredited Training Providers, offering tailored training to support the careers of Superyacht Professionals both onboard and ashore.

IAMI

The International Association of Maritime Institutions (IAMI) is the largest network of maritime colleges and universities, with a century-long history of collaboration. While it began in the UK, IAMI has expanded globally in the past decade, and now welcomes maritime education and training providers worldwide. Its core mission is to facilitate communication and collaboration across all maritime industries between regulators, employers, and educational bodies involved in delivering maritime training.

Want to sponsor the Next Sea Changes Forum?

Sponsorship opportunities are now available for organisations wishing to demonstrate their support for the professional yachting sector. Partnering with the Sea Changes Forum offers valuable visibility before, during, and after the event, ensuring your brand is seen by key decision-makers and industry stakeholders.

To find out more, please contact Sophie at office@pya.org

The PYA will be sharing various updates and insights throughout the day using the #SeaChanges hashtag across all social media platforms. Internet users can participate in discussions using the hashtag to share various perspectives on yachting.

We look forward to welcoming you to Monaco for a day of meaningful discussion, networking, and collaboration at the 2025 Sea Changes Forum.

If you have any questions related to this year’s event please contact us: pya@pya.org