Toby Moore at the helm of the Monaco Yacht Show, sustainability and quiet luxury
Toby Moore, CEO of Informa Prestige and Managing Director of the Monaco Yacht Show, before taking on this role, Toby Moore worked for nearly 8 years at Boat International Media (where he was first Chief Commercial Officer and then CEO), which is why he knows the Monaco Yacht Show very well “from the outside” and has followed its dynamics long before taking over its operational reins.
What are the key factors that explain the success of the Monaco Yacht Show?
“This is my first year leading the show, but I have been observing it closely for years and I believe that this prolonged external perspective has taught me something useful: the first success factor of the MYS is Monaco. Port Hercule allows us to gather a fleet of this magnitude in deep waters, at the center of a place where owners and future owners live, work, and transit. This combination does not exist anywhere else, and we are not its authors, we are its guardians. My responsibility, coming here, is not to reinvent this aspect, but to make it something increasingly useful for the sector.” continues Toby Moore, “The second factor is a choice that the show has been making for a long time and that I embrace: quality over volume. The success of a show is not measured by the number of visitors, but by the quality of the conversations it enables. A shipyard exhibiting in Monaco is not looking for traffic; it seeks to meet the few people in the world capable of ordering a 60-meter yacht. Everything we build — the VIP program, access conditions, the very organization of the docks — serves this goal. Then there is the timing. At the end of September, the Mediterranean season comes to an end, the yachts are still there, the owners too, and it is the moment when decisions for the following year are prepared. The show arrives at the exact moment when the market is projecting into the future.“
“Finally, and this is what struck me the most in all these years of following the show from the outside: the MYS has become the event where the entire industry gathers in full strength. Shipyards, brokers, designers, equipment manufacturers, media — the entire ecosystem is there, at the same time, in the same place. This creates a density of networking that no other format can reproduce. My task is not to take credit for it, but to live up to what this community expects from the show, year after year.”
Organizing such an event in just four days must represent a significant logistical challenge. How do you manage it?
“It is indeed a colossal challenge — I willingly speak of “millimeter” logistics. Organizing an event of this scale in the confined context of Port Hercule requires absolute precision. Space, first of all: transforming a confined perimeter into a temporary village of 16,000 m² requires rigorous planning, studied months in advance. Time, then: we must coordinate the arrival of 450 trucks and the positioning of 180 units — between yachts and tenders — in less than 25 days.“, continues Toby Moore
“Behind these numbers is a team of 20 people who work all year round. And what strikes me is that logistics is only part of their mission: the same team manages relationships with our exhibitors and guests, as well as the marketing and communication of the show. This versatility is not a coincidence — it is precisely what ensures consistency between what we promise and what we deliver on the docks.
And there is no margin for error. The port occupation lasts exactly 40 days, during which we must preserve the functionality of the Principality for its residents, while also offering our guests an experience that meets their expectations in Monaco.“
There is an evolution towards adventure and sustainability in the industry. How does the Monaco Yacht Show reflect these new trends?
“Absolutely. The MYS reflects the shift from ostentation to a philosophy of use rather than appearance — what we define as purpose over presence. The rise of exploration is extraordinary. Owners now want to go somewhere rather than be seen somewhere. This translates into the growth of expedition yachts and pocket explorers, compact yet robust units designed for cruising off the classic routes, towards the Arctic or isolated archipelagos. We have created the Adventure Area, a dedicated space that groups custom tenders, nautical equipment, and vehicles that directly respond to this thirst for experiences.“
“We are also observing the emergence of a new profile of buyer. The clientele is younger — the average age has dropped to around 50 years — and this generation demands total transparency regarding environmental impact. Sustainability is no longer a sales pitch, it is a prerequisite. This is the meaning of our Blue Wake program: to reward measurable results, not mere intentions. We do not decree the environmental transition — we highlight those who are making it advance concretely.“
In this regard, how does the Monaco Yacht Show lead the industry towards greater environmental responsibility?
“Our role is to prioritize rigor over rhetoric. We launched the Blue Wake™ program in partnership with the Water Revolution Foundation. This program scientifically validates sustainable solutions, such as hybrid propulsion or bio-sourced materials. No solution is presented without independent technical proof, such as YETI scores or life cycle analyses. We adopt a global view of the life cycle. In 2026, Blue Wake™ will extend to brokerage and management, as the sustainability of a yacht depends on its 20-30 years of operation, not just its construction.“
“The show also functions as an innovation laboratory. We highlight technologies such as green methanol propulsion or hydrogen, thus positioning yachting as a pioneer for other maritime sectors.“
In conclusion, how does Toby Moore see the future of superyachts and the Monaco Yacht Show in three years?
“What strikes me is that this future does not belong to the realm of the prospective: it is already being built, today, on the docks of Port Hercule. In three years, the Monaco Yacht Show will continue to evolve towards an integrated luxury ecosystem under the aegis of Informa Prestige, breaking down barriers between the yachting sectors, art with Art Monte-Carlo, and automobiles with Top Marques. I see this future taking shape along three axes — and each already has its foundations:
First, invisible technology. Artificial intelligence and connectivity will become a basic infrastructure, optimizing navigation and maintenance without distracting the owner from their experience. Yachts that embody this approach are already on display in Monaco; in three years, this will simply have become the norm.
Second, quiet luxury. We will see a more personal, minimalist, and authentic aesthetic, where the yacht is a private sanctuary and a cultural project rather than a trophy. We are accompanying this evolution right now: the Designer Gallery and the Immersive Experience exist precisely because owners want to shape a project that resembles them, not purchase a symbol. And sustainability is part of it — what the Blue Wake Awards reward today as pioneering achievements will, in three years, be a basic market requirement.
Third, an amplified human experience. It is perhaps the most interesting paradox: the more technology advances, the more valuable physical meetings and shared emotions in Monaco will become. The show will become an even more fluid and discreet environment, where every minute will serve the decision-making process and discovery.
Ultimately, our role will not change: to offer every year, in four days, the place where the industry can see its future. The difference, in three years, is that what we show today as a trend will have become a certainty.“
We thank Toby Moore for granting this interview to Superyachtoday. His reflections on the future of the Monaco Yacht Show, the push towards sustainability with the Blue Wake™ program, and the evolution of the owner experience offer a valuable and stimulating insight for the entire industry.
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- © Monaco Yacht Show – Ciel Azur
