Hosted each year in Madrid yet global in scope and audience, the International Cruise Summit gathers senior leaders from across the world. A maritime leader and Founder of Ayan Consulting, Honorary President of MedCruise and the developer of six cruise ports across three countries, among them the world’s first underground cruise terminal, Ms Ayan will shape the 2026 programme alongside Chief Executive Officer Virginia López Valiente.
MADRID, 17 June 2026 2026. The International Cruise Summit (ICS), organised by Cruises News Media Group and recognised as the leading cruise conference in Europe, today announced the appointment of Figen Ayan as Conference Director. Ms Ayan, among the most respected figures in global cruise and maritime affairs, will lead the curation and direction of the Summit’s content programme for its 2026 edition, to be held on 10 and 11 November 2026 at the Hotel Meliá Castilla in Madrid.
For more than fifteen years, the International Cruise Summit has stood as the only annual forum in Europe devoted to the global knowledge of the worldwide cruise industry. Each edition convenes the sector’s most influential voices, among them the chief executives of the world’s leading cruise lines, across an intensive programme of original presentations, expert and forward-thinking panels, inventive formats and high-level networking. Much of what the Summit introduces, from its use of technology to the very subjects it places on the agenda, is later taken up across the sector, a reflection of its standing as an originator rather than a follower. It has earned its place as a premier meeting point of the industry through its rigour, its intimacy, its spirit of innovation and its consistent ability to set the agenda for the year ahead.
In her new role, Ms Ayan will work in close partnership with Virginia López Valiente, Chief Executive Officer of Cruises News Media Group, to design the conference programme, to coordinate the Summit’s speakers and moderators, and to guide the two days of proceedings from the stage. Her appointment takes effect immediately, allowing her to shape the 2026 edition.
Ms Ayan brings more than three decades of leadership in port management, destination development and maritime innovation, having guided the creation and transformation of six cruise ports across three countries. Foremost among them is Galataport Istanbul, where, as Chief Port Officer from 2014 to 2024, she led the development of the world’s first underground cruise terminal, an urban regeneration project of 1.7 billion US dollars that set new benchmarks for the industry. She was President of the MedCruise Association from 2021 to 2024 and remains its Honorary President, and she contributes to the European Commission as an Expert to the Mission Restore our Ocean and Waters by 2030. A dual French and Turkish citizen, born in Paris and educated at La Sorbonne, she is the Founder of Ayan Consulting and a Seatrade Ambassador for Port Innovation and Community Engagement.
Through Ayan Consulting, Ms Ayan advises destinations, ports, cruise lines and governments on sustainable growth, future-ready port strategy and community-driven tourism, bridging established global brands with emerging markets.
Hosted in Madrid, the International Cruise Summit is global in its outlook and its audience, welcoming senior delegates from across Europe, the Americas, the Middle East and beyond. Ms Ayan’s appointment is intended to carry that international character further still: to deepen the Summit’s engagement with the world’s ports and destinations, including the Mediterranean cruise community she knows so well, and to bring fresh, forward-looking content to a discerning global audience, while preserving the distinctive character that has long set the ICS apart from every other gathering in the sector.
Ms Ayan succeeds Nicky Guerrero, whose exceptional contribution to the International Cruise Summit has been admired throughout the industry. Mr Guerrero brought rare skill, warmth and authority to the direction of the Summit, shaping its programme and presiding over its proceedings with a distinction that set the standard for the event. A figure of deep experience, having served as Secretary General of MedCruise and, across more than two decades, as a respected voice in cruise, tourism and destination affairs, he steps back from the role for personal reasons, with the gratitude and the warmest wishes of all who have had the privilege of working alongside him.
The Summit also records its appreciation of David Selby, whose stewardship over many years helped establish the ICS as a reference event of the global industry. The new chapter now opening is built upon the strength of their legacy.
Figen Ayan, Conference Director of the International Cruise Summit, said:
“It is a profound honour to take on the direction of an event I have long admired. The International Cruise Summit holds a singular place in our industry, and I am deeply grateful to Virginia López Valiente for her trust and for the remarkable platform she has built. I pay tribute, too, to Nicky Guerrero and David Selby, on whose work this new chapter is founded. My ambition is a simple one: to serve the industry, the destinations and the people within it, and to ensure that every delegate leaves Madrid richer in insight than when they arrived.”
Virginia López Valiente, Chief Executive Officer of Cruises News Media Group, said:
“Figen Ayan is one of the most accomplished and respected leaders our industry has known, and I could not be more delighted to welcome her to the heart of the International Cruise Summit. The ICS has always been a truly international gathering, hosted in Madrid yet global in its audience and ambition, and Figen’s vision and worldwide network will help us carry that reach further than ever. Together I am certain we will deliver an edition that honours the Summit’s legacy while taking it to new heights.”
About the International Cruise Summit
The International Cruise Summit is the leading cruise conference in Europe and the only annual forum on the continent devoted to global knowledge of the worldwide cruise industry. For over fifteen years it has gathered the most senior figures of the sector, drawn from every region of the world, for a concentrated programme of presentations, panels and networking. The 2026 edition takes place on 10 and 11 November 2026 at the Hotel Meliá Castilla in Madrid. www.internationalcruisesummit.com
About Cruises News Media Group
Cruises News Media Group is a specialist media and events company serving the international cruise industry. Based in Madrid and led by Chief Executive Officer Virginia López Valiente, the group is the organiser of the International Cruise Summit and other distinguished industry gatherings. www.cruisesnews.es
