How Industry Titans Bring New Perspectives to Family

For decades, the superyacht world has largely been the domain of family-owned shipyards rooted in tradition and generational stewardship. Recently, a new class of owners has emerged: Gabe Newell, the tech-industry titan who just picked up ; Laurens Last, the industrialist who moved swiftly to acquire ; and Richard Hadida, the entrepreneur who runs . Each of them first built a yacht with the brand they loved, then bought the brand itself.

The goal was not only to manage these newly purchased shipyards from afar but also to help them advance design, technology, and full-life-cycle service. Heesen, for example, already had enormous equity in the superyacht world when Last took over, but his previous manufacturing experience provided a fresh look at its operations. Using robotics for painting