Independent senior marina leadership for developers, owners and operators — from operational planning and pre-opening through to performance, systems, people and fractional management.
FMD brings the operator's voice into the room while decisions are still on paper — challenging designs so they drive top-line revenue, run efficiently and need no rework after handover.
We test every layout, flow and service concept against three questions: does it drive the top line, does it work day to day, and does it run cost-efficiently — before completion locks it in and the owner pays to change it.
Design it right. Open it right. Operate it right.
Each has its own detailed page. Start with the one that matches your current stage.
Expertise extends beyond the berth — Director-level support for charter fleets, brokerage operations and hospitality-led charter programmes.
Yacht charter operations →FMD joins at any stage — or stays through all six. Stage 06 feeds straight back into stage 01, and the operation keeps improving.
Define the marina, yacht club and waterfront proposition.
Operational input into masterplans, infrastructure and technical design.
Membership, hospitality, F&B, recreation and sailing.
Pricing, benchmarking, home-port strategy and destination positioning.
A marina can be technically complete and nowhere near ready to open.
Commercial review, management support, reporting, training and continuous improvement.
Experience shown reflects the individual professional backgrounds of FMD's senior leadership and current advisory engagements.
Large-scale luxury marina operations and berth-holder experience.
Bvlgari's first yacht club in the Middle East — pre-opening of the club, marina and three F&B outlets.
Saudi Arabia's first luxury yacht club — construction to full operation; F1, America's Cup and Red Sea Film Festival delivery.
Multi-site UAE marina management under an established elite brand, to international standards.
Systems, SOPs, software, training and management support.
ISO-certified marina operations, workshop, repair yard and charter activity.
Each a specialist in their craft — people who have opened, run and optimised the assets other consultants write about.
Philip Sather is a Certified Marina Manager (CMM) and the pioneer of the Fractional Marina Director — a model that gives marinas, yacht clubs, and waterfront developments access to Director-level leadership without the cost of a full-time hire.
Listed in the Global Marina Institute CMM Directory, Philip has led marina operations and projects across the UAE and international markets. He specialises in optimising performance, streamlining systems, and delivering exceptional service standards for high-end waterfront assets.
Senior marina and luxury waterfront leader with 20+ years in the GCC. Senior Director on the pre-opening of Bvlgari Resort Dubai, launching the brand’s first yacht club; GM of Jeddah Yacht Club & Marina, taking Saudi Arabia’s first luxury yacht club from construction to full operation; and GM of M Marinas by Porto Montenegro across multiple UAE sites.
Owner-side advice. No operating agreement, no brand takeover, no loss of control.
Director-level capability sized to the mandate, without a permanent appointment.
Weekly outputs, not slide decks. SOPs, dashboards, reviews and training material.
The Fractional Marina Director model was pioneered by Philip Sather, CMM, and launched through FMD in 2026 as the first platform built specifically to deliver senior marina leadership on a fractional basis. It was created because marinas, yacht clubs and waterfront developments repeatedly needed Director-level guidance without the cost and commitment of a full-time Managing Director or General Manager.
FMD remains the original source of the Fractional Marina Director definition, scope and operating model — and the only platform founded by a Certified Marina Manager (CMM) who has led the assets the model is designed to serve.
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