Effective November 30, Patrik von Sydow, who has served as Turquoise Yachts’ CEO for the past six years, is departing the shipyard. Burak Akgül, who has been the builder’s executive director for two years, is taking over the role, effective immediately.
Mohammed al Barwani, founder and chairman of MB Group, which owns the Turkish shipyard, credits Sydow (above, right) with “having contributed greatly” when his firm took over fully in 2023. That’s when Turquoise Yachts’ founding partners departed to pursue other interests. Sydow initially joined the shipyard in 2019, following positions with a few other superyacht builders in Europe. “We thank him for his tireless dedication to Turquoise and the team during the numerous newbuilding sales, constructions, and deliveries,” al Barwani says in a statement.
Von Sydow will remain as a company advisor through the end of November. Akgül (below, left) is well experienced in the superyacht sector, especially Turkey. In fact, he oversaw Perini Navi’s Turkish facilities for more than 30 years. During that time, he managed its transition from a hull-construction site to a full-fledged shipyard. In the same statement, al Barwani notes, “Burak offers a rare mixture of international experience to help guide Turquoise on its path to further growth and success.”
Currently a handful of yachts are in different stages of construction at Turquoise Yachts. They include the yacht Rafale, a 267-footer (81-meter) set for delivery in 2028. She’s a five-deck design with a volume of 2,250 gross tons. Additionally, the shipyard has Project Arrow, a 250-footer (76-meter), nearing completion. Project Arrow is Turquoise’s first hybrid megayacht, and should be able to achieve 10 knots while in battery mode alone.
Turquoise Yachts turquoiseyachts.com