Sunseeker has named Daren Morris as chief financial officer, succeeding Dean Lawler.
Morris brings more than three decades of experience spanning investment banking, mergers and acquisitions, and international financial leadership to the UK boatbuilder. A former managing director at UBS and Morgan Stanley, he has subsequently held board positions as CFO at Volex and Big Technologies, building a strong track record in business transformation, operational improvement and guiding companies through periods of significant change.
Sunseeker London sale
Morris’s appointment comes at a pivotal time for Sunseeker.
In September 2026, MIN reported that Sunseeker International had acquired the business and assets of its former UK and European distributors, Sunseeker London and Sunseeker Poole, through a pre-packaged administration sale, with operations to be transferred to the newly established Sunseeker Europe division.
The news followed that independent distributors Sunseeker London and Sunseeker Poole (SSL) filed notices of intention to appoint administrators on 2 September 2026.
The distributor changes followed a turbulent period of financial restructuring for Sunseeker International.
US firm Lionheart Capital and Italy’s Orienta Capital Partners acquired the boatbuilder from China’s Dalian Wanda Group in November 2024, backing the deal with around £70m in secured term debt. However, covenant breaches triggered a default within 12 months.
A consortium led by KCP Holdings, together with Lionheart Capital, agreed in March 2026 to acquire the business outright, but the transaction subsequently collapsed. Cheyne Capital and Cross Ocean Partners, which had provided emergency funding during 2025, acquired the business in July 2026 and have since provided about £68m of additional funding on top of the original facility.
Future plans for Sunseeker
According to Sunseeker, Morris’s appointment will strengthen the next phase of development and adds considerable financial and commercial expertise to the leadership team as the company focuses on investing in future opportunities and delivering its ambitions over the next five years.
Commenting on the appointment, Scott Millar, chief executive officer at Sunseeker, says: “The period of uncertainty is behind us. Sunseeker today benefits from committed ownership, significant investment and a clear long-term direction. As we focus on the next phase of our growth, strong financial leadership will be fundamental to our success, not only safeguarding the financial strength of the business but enabling us to invest boldly and pursue the opportunities ahead. Daren is exceptionally well placed to help us realise that ambition. I’d like to thank Dean Lawler for his many years of dedication to Sunseeker and for the important contribution he has made to the business.”
Morris says: “Sunseeker is an iconic global brand with a strong heritage, a talented team and an exciting opportunity ahead. I am delighted to be joining the business at such an important stage in its journey and look forward to working with colleagues across the organisation as we continue to build on the company’s strengths and shape its next chapter.”
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