Carsten Franik

Carsten Franik is a seasoned Superyacht Captain and Mentor with more than twenty years of global command experience. Known for his composed decision-making and ability to create stable, high-performing crew environments, he brings a practical, clear-minded approach to modern yacht operations.

Carsten combines traditional seamanship with a long-term commitment to personal development. Outside of his time at sea, he works extensively on refining self-awareness, leadership presence, and resilience through practices informed by Taoism, Qi Gong, and other longstanding wisdom traditions. This ongoing work shapes a leadership style that is grounded, observant, and able to navigate complexity without unnecessary noise.

His career reflects a consistent focus on standards, structure, and culture: running efficient programs, maintaining strong crew cohesion, and ensuring that service, safety, and communication remain aligned under pressure.

At the Superyacht Forum, Carsten contributes a perspective centred on maturity in leadership—what it means to hold authority responsibly, how to build sustainable crew cultures, and how captains can adapt to the increasing demands of today’s large-yacht operations with clarity and steadiness.