Aberdeen’s Ultimate Masterclass Festival (UMF) is set to return for a fourth year in 2026, with global maritime services provider Boskalis Subsea Services announced as the headline sponsor of the high-profile event series.
Delivered by Aberdeen & Grampian Chamber of Commerce, the festival has become a well-established part of the city’s events calendar, bringing high-profile speakers to the Music Hall and attracting large audiences from across the region.
Previous series have seen a stellar lineup of speakers take to the stage at Aberdeen Music Hall, including Sir Chris Hoy, Louis Theroux, Davina McCall, James Corden, Grace Beverley and Jamie Genevieve, offering audiences rare, in-depth conversations exploring success, resilience, leadership and creativity.
More than 6,000 people attended the Ultimate Masterclass Festival in 2025, with multiple shows selling out and generating significant footfall for Union Street.
Boskalis Subsea Services, a leading global services provider operating in the dredging, maritime infrastructure and maritime services sectors, will support the programme as headline sponsor for 2026.
Russell Borthwick, chief executive of Aberdeen and Grampian Chamber of Commerce, commented: “UMF has become a real flagship for Aberdeen, showcasing the city as a place that can attract global talent and deliver sell-out live events. The scale of attendance in 2025 shows how strongly these conversations resonate and we’re excited to build on that success with Boskalis Subsea Services as the headline sponsor for 2026.”
Stuart Cameron and Russell Borthwick
Stuart Cameron, managing director at Boskalis Subsea Services, added: “we are proud to call Aberdeen the home of our subsea operations for many years, and our success is built on the strength of the people, businesses, and communities around us. Supporting UMF is a natural extension of our commitment to invest in the future of the city and its talent. We’re delighted to champion an event that gives local innovators the tools, insight and confidence to generate fresh ideas and help drive growth across the region.”
In 2025, audiences were left inspired by unforgettable moments across the series. Cycling legend Sir Chris Hoy received a standing ovation from a sold-out Music Hall after delivering a deeply personal and emotional interview, reflecting on his record-breaking Olympic career alongside his ongoing battle with stage-four prostate cancer.
Documentary maker Louis Theroux captivated a packed audience with behind-the-scenes insights from his career exploring some of the world’s most complex and controversial subcultures, while entrepreneurs Grace Beverley and Jamie Genevieve shared candid lessons on scaling global brands, resilience and leadership in today’s business landscape.
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