Kayleigh Liddell appointed Chair of new Think Tank, The Bridge Between

Raising the bar for crew management

Kayleigh Liddell, Hill Robinson’s Crew Services Coordinator, has been appointed Chair of The Bridge Between, a new Think Tank within the Superyacht Alliance. The organisation is designed to foster collaboration, break down barriers, and provide a platform for sharing knowledge across the industry.

The Bridge Between will focus on improving crew management and the overall crew experience through best-practice HR initiatives. It will serve as a knowledge hub for organisations seeking to launch similar projects, supporting better onboarding, clearer communication, and stronger standards across the global fleet.

Listening and responding

“We need to get to the point where there is an industry standard, and we can only do that by breaking down competitive barriers and working together,” smiles Kayleigh, speaking of the aims of the new Think Tank.

Management gets a bad rap when it comes to crew, Kayleigh explains, and much of that stems from a lack of understanding of management’s role.

“Not every vessel is managed the same way. Not every vessel is managed! We need more transparency. I’d like for crew to see us as a supporting resource, a partner—not the enemy.”

Initially, the Think Tank will share information with captains and crew to help them understand their employment practices and enhancing the onboarding experience.

“We have bigger goals around standards of practice, but ultimately, it’s about listening and responding.”

Changing the narrative

For a long time, the yachting industry has been slow to move, reactive rather than proactive. Kayleigh, who has spent the last three years championing crew welfare through HR practices, acknowledges that change can be met with mixed reactions.

“I still hear people talking about management in a negative way,” she says. “I understand why, but there’s also a lot of misunderstanding. It feels good to be taking some positive action, rather than simply accepting ‘this is the way it’s always been.’

“I’m excited to make a difference,” smiles Kayleigh. “Whether small or large, my hope is that we can change the narrative around crew management.”

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