Benjamin Bensahel is the new chief executive of the yacht brokerage and charter house Camper & Nicholsons, the company announced on 26 October 2026. He replaces Paolo Casani, CEO since 2017, who has decided to leave after completing the company's sale to a new majority shareholder. The buyer is Sea Expandary Group, which agreed in May to take about 80% of Camper & Nicholsons from Hong Kong's Lai Sun Development for €40 million.
The company traces its history to a shipyard founded in Gosport, England, in 1782, which built yachts for America's Cup challenges. The Gosport yard closed in 2005. Today's Camper & Nicholsons International has no yard of its own and works as a brokerage and services company, which it says has "over 240 years of uninterrupted operation".
As CEO, Bensahel runs the business worldwide: brokerage, charter, new construction and yacht management. "Having been part of the business for the past six years, I have seen first-hand the talent, dedication and expertise that make Camper & Nicholsons so special," he said. "As we enter this new chapter with the support of Sea Expandary Group, my priority will be to build on these strengths, expand our presence in existing markets, develop new markets and opportunities, and foster greater collaboration across sales, charter, new construction and yacht management to deliver an even more comprehensive and seamless experience for our clients."
Who is Benjamin Bensahel?
Bensahel joined the brokerage team in the company's Monaco office in 2020. According to his profile on the Camper & Nicholsons website, he became head of sales for Europe in 2023, and the United States and the Middle East were later added to his area. From early 2025 he was chief commercial officer for Europe and the Middle East.
Before Camper & Nicholsons he spent about seven years at a yacht agency in the south of France, in charter, yacht management and sales. He has worked in the industry since 2013, when he started as an intern. He studied at the International University of Monaco and at Suffolk University in Boston, and his company profile lists English, French and Spanish.
When YATCO named him its broker of the month in 2022, he talked about how brokers treat each other. "Something that struck me the most when I joined this industry was the competitiveness and the secrecy between brokers and brokerage houses," he said. "I strongly believe it would benefit us all if we worked in an environment where sharing is encouraged."
What changed under Paolo Casani?
Casani became president of the board in 2015 and CEO in 2017. The company credits him with its turnaround. Under him Camper & Nicholsons opened offices in Hong Kong, Singapore, Dubai, Athens, Cannes and Viareggio, the last of these in April 2025 as its 14th office. New divisions appeared for new builds, design, insurance and corporate services. "Camper & Nicholsons extends its sincere thanks to Paolo Casani for his leadership and dedication," the announcement says.
Who bought Camper & Nicholsons?
The seller was Lai Sun Development, a Hong Kong group. Marine Industry News reported the terms from Lai Sun's filing. Under the agreement signed on 28 May 2026, Wave Expandary Limited, a subsidiary of Sea Expandary, agreed to buy an initial stake of about 80% for €40 million, which values the whole company at €50 million. That was the price at signing, subject to the usual adjustments at completion. The €50 million valuation is about 12 times the company's EBITDA (earnings before interest, tax, depreciation and amortisation) for 2025, which management estimated before the audit at roughly €4.1 million. Lai Sun keeps 20% and one of five board seats, with options on that stake from 31 December 2027.
The sale was completed on 14 July, ahead of the 30 September deadline, according to Lai Sun's filing with the Hong Kong stock exchange. The 26 October announcement says Casani leaves after completing the sale to the new majority shareholder. In May, when the deal was announced, he told SuperYacht Times: "The company will continue to operate without disruption, maintaining full continuity across its leadership and suite of yachting services."
Sea Expandary was launched in 2026, in February according to Marine Industry News, with $700 million (about €630 million) of announced investment. In August it completed the purchase of 80% of the Chinese shipyard OceanWalker (Fujian Skywalker Yacht Co). It has also announced plans for shipyards and marinas in southern China.
Another brokerage, IYC, changed control in September, when Peninsula Yachting took the majority (our report).
Photo: Camper & Nicholsons. Source: Camper & Nicholsons announcement (26.10.2026) and team page; Lai Sun Development filings with the Hong Kong stock exchange (28.05.2026, 14.07.2026); SuperYacht Times (29.05.2026); Marine Industry News (01.06.2026, 21.08.2026, 27.10.2026); IBI (27.10.2026); BOAT Pro (27.10.2026); Marine Business World (27.10.2020); YATCO (12.10.2022).
