The superyacht offices for business on board

Artefact’s layout takes a very different approach from that of many yachts afloat today. Instead of an owner's suite front and centre on the main deck, the owner chose to fill this prime position with a panoramic office space that looks out over the foredeck. The owner’s office, like the rest of the yacht, has windows made of two panels of bronze glass and one layer of mirror, which cuts heat without distorting views. Two desks mirror each other, as do a set of chairs facing the foredeck, offering the perfect spot for an afternoon conference call.

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At one end of the owner's deck lies an office-cum-conference room that’s almost equal in size to the master cabin. “This is a serious working office and has everything to back that up,” says design Zaniz Jakubowski, including an adjacent office for the PA and a dayhead. Decoratively, the theme of the space is time. “The striations in the [circular marble floor panel] are to do with the clock, punctuated by materials such as lapis lazuli and malachite, to remind oneself that time is precious,” says Jakubowski. The polished stainless-steel desk, meanwhile, is inspired by a watch strap, and behind it, limed oak panelling is inspired by Mondrian, “to bring some rhythm into the scheme.”

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Plvs Vltra takes its interior inspiration from the grand hotels dotted along the Côte d'Azur with their intricate detailing and a palette of airy blues and whites. Although, the owner’s office, off the lobby between the owner’s suite and lounge, strikes a very different note from the rest of Plvs Vltra’s décor. It is dark and serious: black stained Newood, red lacquer, gold leaf panels and an ebonised timber desk with gilt detailing and an oxblood red leather top.

The main deck owner's office in 46 metre Bilgin motor yacht Gialoa-Lu serves dual purposes. The room is certainly a formal office ideal for conducting serious business – with a desk that takes in sea views out of large windows. But per her owners' request, the space also morphs into a private spot for watching movies or playing video games. A comfortable couch opposite the desk faces the concave wall, which hosts a special curved TV. Once the blinds are lowered, the office becomes a mini-cinema, the perfect hideaway for this media-loving family who built Gialoa-Lu.

At 75 metres, the 2003 sloop-rigged sailing yacht M5 is the largest single-masted yacht ever built. Launched as Mirabella V, she was refitted between 2013 and 2014 at Pendennis, which included a stern extension, new carbon-fibre titanium rigging and the gutting of the interior. The owner's study sits adjacent to the master suite on the main deck. Hardwood floors are paired with classic burl detailing in the desk and the large bookcase that lines the wall separating the office space from the sleeping area of the owner's quarters. An L-shaped sofa makes for a quiet reading nook with a black leather chaise lounge that looks out to sea and a skylight overhead.

• M5: On board the newly refitted Ron Holland sailing yacht

The owner’s office on board Neninka (previously Aurora Borealis) contrasts a custom silk hand-tufted carpet with walls in masculine dark brown satin oak. The most prominent feature is the one-of-a-kind marquetry artwork commissioned by Winch Design depicting a celestial scene, adorned with mother-of-pearl, shell and gold leaf.

The library/office on the bridge deck of Abeking and Rasmussen superyacht Excellence caters for charter guests who have work commitments. There are tobacco leaves on the wall here, pressed into a rich pattern and trimmed with laser-cut silver leather. Birdseye maple is the feature wood, alongside cappuccino marble and tan leather tiles underfoot. It is a very calming space.

Suerte — the stylish 69 metre from Italian yard Tankoa Yachts — has a maximum cruising range of 5,000 nautical miles at 12 knots, and the excellent office means that the owner can choose to stay on board during long passages and still get plenty of work done. This area is separated from the suite by rotating foils inside a glass wall, which protect privacy when it is wanted and open up to give a more airy feeling, while always letting in light.

Blue II features two master suites - one for each co-owner - and each comes with its own perks. The forward suite sits adjacent to the wellness area on board, comprised of a sauna, hammam and a gym/massage room. The second suite on the upper deck benefits from 180-degree views across the bow and is flooded with natural light thanks to a number of skylights. The entry area contains a surprise spiral staircase that leads to a private office behind the bridge above. 

Former Soviet spy ship Jester (previously Olivia) underwent a major conversion project that transformed the 68 metre Cold War vessel into a supremely modern and luxurious superyacht. The owner said to Italian design firm, Droulers Architecture, “not to change the character of the ship, to keep it Zen, and make me a comfortable boat with a very good working and living environment". Jester features rosewood paneling throughout that creates a warm atmosphere in a minimalist interior. A desk by Marc Newson is the centrepiece of the office, one of the new additions to the layout, on the upper deck.

• From spy ship to superyacht: Inside the transformation of the 68m Olivia