A conversation with Sales Broker Zayd Hassoune, trusted marine advisor to LIVERIA and its clients.
For the ultra-wealthy, luxury is not about what you own; it’s about how seamlessly it all works together. Property, residency, mobility, crew, confidentiality, when these parts align, life runs with the kind of silence that only structure can create.
This is why at LIVERIA, we do not view yachts as separate from the homes our clients buy. For many, the yacht is a second residence, sometimes the first. It’s a staffed, structured, regulated asset that touches every part of their lifestyle and legal footprint. And when discretion and detail matter, we turn to the people who understand both.
One of them is Zayd Hassoune, a Monaco-based sales broker who operates between Europe and the Gulf, and with whom LIVERIA collaborates closely on marine-related matters. While we do not sell properties in Monaco, many of our clients own there or move through the region seasonally. With Zayd’s support, we’re able to help them manage their yachting interests as strategically and confidentially as we manage their real estate.
Zayd’s work goes far beyond brokerage. He supports clients with new builds, acquisitions, relocations, and charter planning, always with a structured, tax-aware, lifestyle-first approach. We asked him to share his perspective on what today’s UHNW yacht owners need to know, and how the world of yachting is evolving alongside property ownership.
Discretion is not silence. It is Structure
“Discretion begins with structure. We ensure that every yacht is held through a carefully selected SPV (Special Purpose Vehicle), typically in trusted jurisdictions like Malta, Cayman, or the Marshall Islands, with ownership layers that respect both anonymity and tax compliance.
For cross-border movement, we work hand-in-hand with fiscal advisors to align with Temporary Admission regimes or VAT exemptions, and ensure clear port declarations under flags that prioritize confidentiality and efficiency.
On the operational side, our management teams implement controlled crew rotation plans under vetted STCW-compliant contracts, with NDAs built into senior crew onboarding. Servicing is routed through vetted suppliers under contract, and any third-party access to the vessel is scheduled under controlled inspection protocols.”
This is the level of care we look for at LIVERIA when supporting our clients. A yacht should not compromise confidentiality, financial structure, or time. Through our collaboration with Zayd, we help ensure that yachting isn’t a logistical burden, but an integrated part of a broader lifestyle architecture.
Monaco remains relevant because it still works
“Monaco remains unmatched for one key reason: it offers a complete yachting ecosystem in under one square kilometre. Nowhere else in the world will you find brokerage houses, technical surveyors, fiscal advisors, naval architects, insurers, family offices, and yacht lawyers all within walking distance.
This hyper-concentration of expertise means that decisions are faster, deals are cleaner, and ownership transitions are smoother, especially for time-sensitive or high-value projects.
While newer hubs like Dubai or Barcelona are growing, they still lack Monaco’s deep network trust and regulatory alignment with UHNW profiles. Monaco also benefits from unique proximity to key shipyards (Italy, France, Northern Europe), a stable legal framework, and a reputation that resonates with both buyers and charterers.
So yes, it’s saturated, but it’s also mature, and maturity brings confidence.”
We work with clients across the UAE, Mauritius, the UK, and Montenegro, but often the decision-makers, shipyards, and legal specialists they rely on are based in Monaco. Having a trusted partner on the ground, someone who understands not only how yachts move, but how ownership is built, has proven invaluable to our cross-border work.
Strategic advice for strategic clients
“Absolutely. The advice I always give is: ‘Treat your yacht like a mobile villa, not a floating liability.’ The most strategic clients align their yachting plan with their residential and tax footprint, especially when navigating EU VAT, Temporary Admission, or even crew structures tied to residency.
For example, if you are buying in the Med, but your holding structure is Caribbean-based, and you have a property in France, all three must speak to each other legally and financially.
The one thing I wish more clients understood early is that flexibility costs less when it’s built from the start. Structuring for future charter, resale, or relocation is much cheaper at the design or acquisition phase than trying to retrofit compliance two years later.”
This mirrors how we work at LIVERIA. The real value of advice lies in when it’s given, not after the contracts are signed, but before a single move is made. Whether we are helping a client choose the proper property structure in the UAE or guiding their charter planning in Mauritius, the principle is the same: build for what’s ahead.
Why collaboration matters
Zayd’s role in our ecosystem is not transactional. He is part of a tightly knit network of advisors we call on when a client’s lifestyle crosses borders and assets. From flag structuring and crew contracts to new build oversight and market repositioning, he helps LIVERIA clients make decisions with their full financial and lifestyle picture in view.
He works discreetly, precisely, and with full respect for the standards our clients expect. In the same way we don’t treat a villa purchase as a one-off event, Zayd does not treat a yacht sale as a standalone transaction. Ownership is a lifecycle, and he advises accordingly.
Closing the loop
What emerges clearly from this conversation is that yachts today are not indulgences, they are responsibilities. They touch tax, property, employment law, and resale markets. They must be planned for with the same intelligence and care that go into structuring a family office or acquiring international property.
At LIVERIA, we support clients across major investment destinations, but we never forget that what matters most isn’t just what they own, but how it’s all held together. Our collaboration with Zayd Hassoune reflects that belief. Monaco may be just one square kilometre, but with the right people in place, it becomes a vital link in a much larger system of smart, discreet, global living.
About the collaboration
LIVERIA does not currently offer real estate services in Monaco. However, we work closely with Monaco-based yacht advisor Zayd Hassoune to support our clients’ yachting needs across jurisdictions, particularly in the UAE, Mauritius, and the wider Mediterranean. Whether coordinating a seasonal charter, advising on acquisition, or structuring ownership for future resale, Zayd’s role is to ensure the marine element of our clients’ lifestyle is as well-managed as their property portfolio.
