Oyster Yachts CEO Ashley Highfield steps down

Oyster Yachts has announced that Ashley Highfield will step down as Chief Executive Officer, after seven years with the company as both Executive Chairman and more recently as CEO.

Highfield will leave the company this autumn and will hand over the role to the new CEO, who comes from the marine manufacturing industry. Oyster Yachts will be announcing the new CEO in the coming weeks. 

“I am eternally grateful for Ashley’s leadership, direction and support on our voyage to turn Oyster around. We have been closely working together on the successful growth of topline revenues and brand,” commented Richard Hadida, the owner and Chairman of Oyster Yachts.

Under Highfield’s stewardship, Oyster has experienced a significant financial turnaround, most recently concluding the 2025 financial year with a return to profitable trading. Owner and Chairman Richard Hadida will remain in his current role, focusing on new product development, branding, marketing and strategic oversight.

“We agreed he would take over as CEO for a finite three-year period, with a mission to re-establish Oyster as a pre-eminent brand in the luxury sailing yacht market. I am happy to say that job is done,” added Hadida.

Highfield joined the company during a critical phase in its restructuring, and his leadership is credited with halving losses in his first year as CEO. His tenure also marked a shift toward greater customer engagement and lifestyle-focused services, including the launch of the Oyster Explorers Club.

Hadida added that Oyster is now in “robust financial health”, with record sales and a strong order book extending into 2026. “His innovative thinking and leadership have given us the new 805, the updated 595 Series 2, a full Oyster World Rally 2026 and a new suite of services, including the Oyster Explorers Club. It is all part of our longer-term journey from a pure yacht manufacturer to a brand which delivers dreams and adventures.”

Among the recent highlights of Highfield’s tenure is the launch of the Oyster 805, the latest addition to the brand’s fleet. Positioned between the Oyster 745 and the 885 Series II, the new 80-foot cruiser brings superyacht-calibre comfort and capability to Oyster’s bluewater sailing yacht range.

“It has been an honour to serve as Chair and CEO of this great British company for the past seven years and really get to know the team, the brilliant craftsmen and women, the passionate project managers, commissioning, warranty and service teams and the hugely knowledgeable marketing and sales teams,” concluded Highfield.

“It’s these folk, as much as the yachts themselves, that are Oyster’s unique strengths, as many owners consistently take the time to tell me. “We have a very clear vision for Oyster and it will continue to deliver the very best, British-built, luxury cruising yachts in the world, while ensuring that we run a sustainable and profitable business.”