UK OFFICE
West Nautical,18A Osborne Road,Jesmond,Newcastle upon Tyne,NE2 2AD,United Kingdom
Tel: +44 191 478 9920
CYPRUS OFFICE
50 Agias Zonis,Arianthi Court,2nd Floor,3090 Limassol,Cyprus
Tel: +3 572 505 1423
MIDDLE EAST OFFICE
The Binary Tower By Omniyat,8th Floor,Office 808,32 Marasi Drive Street,Business Bay,Dubai,United Arab Emirates
Tel: +1 646 207 7545
They’ve traversed the globe, specialised in diving with great white sharks, and worked on board some of the best-known yachts in the superyacht industry – this isn’t two truths and a lie – meet the women behind West Nautical this International Women’s Day.
The world of yachting is extremely niche, and while West Nautical has global offices, the head offices are situated in Newcastle upon Tyne, where despite the region’s impressive shipbuilding heritage, people are still surprised to learn that a luxury yachting company exists in the area.
Even more surprising therefore, is the fact that more than 50% of the company’s team members are female, many of whom are mothers, in what has always been a largely male-dominated industry.
With multiple different luxury yachting services on offer, the company has a series of different departments, of which women play an integral part. Yacht sales, charter holidays and yacht management are the primary services provided, supported by accounts, marketing and administration teams.
Read on to discover the exceptional women and the diverse roles they play in driving the business forward.
Business Administration and Executive Support
The company’s leaders have extremely busy lives and rely heavily upon their business administration and support team. Masters in the art of ‘getting sh*t done’, Rebecca ‘Bex’ Kennerley, Sarah Mackenzie, and newest recruit Emma Morgan all report directly to Managing Director Geoff Moore and COO Neil Schofield, ensuring that busy schedules and the daily challenges of running a growing international luxury business are met with efficiency.
It may be unsurprising therefore to learn that all three of these women, prior to joining West Nautical, all worked on board luxury yachts and ships. They’ve travelled the globe from the Bahamas to Antarctica, and now bring their wealth of experience to the company on a daily basis: “The standards when working at sea onboard a superyacht, where the clients expect the best of the best, is second to none. You get used to the ever-changing requests of guests, thinking on your feet, and getting things done – fast! Rebecca Kennerley, Executive Assistant and Business Support.
Now shoreside, they have branched out into different specialities, from hospitality to public relations prior to joining the team, but one thing is for sure, each of these women are unrelenting in their work ethic.
Whether they’re organising the company’s internationally renowned ‘Captain’s Command & Control Course’, where superyacht captains are flown in for an intensive three-day emergency response course in a state-of-the-art simulator, setting up a press event for a national charity, to outfitting a derelict warehouse into a now functional marine chandlery business, and everything in between.
When it comes to getting things done, an ex-yachtie is always a brilliant hiring choice.
Finance Department
Led by Chief Financial Officer Jana Ladju, as with all businesses within the luxury sector, a strong and competent financial team is integral to ensure the proper management of high-value transactions. As the company now expands to Monaco and Dubai, Jana’s international expertise and experience has been instrumental.
Supported by Accounts Assistant Yulia Boleva, Yacht Accountant Sophie Marsden, Company Accountant Emily de Castro Silva, and Accounts Assistant Becca Dodds – the department continues to thrive with the guidance of Head Accountant Lee Bury, one of West Nautical’s longest serving team members.
The company’s UHNW clients are used to, and therefore expect, only the best service and seamless transactions. The team work hard to ensure the accounts, from charter expenses and newbuild projects to staff payroll, are actioned accurately and in good time, to keep West Nautical thriving.
When asked what she’d advise those with non-maritime backgrounds on entering the industry Sophie Marsden said: “Don’t be put off by the lack of industry experience, if you have a passion for your role and you have the right skillset then this can be applied to any industry, yachting included. Make sure you learn and understand the role and listen to colleagues around you based on their experiences.”
On landing her role at West Nautical, Becca Dodds commented: “During the job application process, the recruiter asked me if I’d seen ‘Below Deck’, as it’s based on the world of yachting – I knew this would be something new and exciting for me and a chance to learn about something different whilst using my skills from my previous roles.”
Yacht Sales
Operating throughout the company’s global offices, West Nautical’s sales team have all led varied and exciting careers before finding themselves in their current roles.
Predominantly based in the company’s Dubai office, these women work directly with UHNW clients, where discretion and professionalism are paramount. A luxury yacht is a huge and ongoing expense for any client, therefore an in-depth knowledge of the market and dedication is essential. Yachting is not your average 9-to-5 job, particularly as clients can be based anywhere in the world and have high expectations.
Alongside their male counterparts, Branch Sales Director Anastasia Blinova, and the rest of the ladies in the sales department: Maria Kondrachenkova, Georgia Alikiviades and Julia Gegina all attend the industry’s high-status shows.
Monaco Boat Show, Cannes Yachting Festival, Dubai International Boat Show and BOOT Dusseldorf to name a few, these are the main places where deals for buying and selling boats are done with owners and brokers, so the team have to be ready at all times whilst at the shows, working long hours to meet client expectations.
Yacht Charter
With Tina Collins at the helm as Head of Charter Management, West Nautical’s charter department has continued to thrive, with a fleet of managed charter yachts growing on an annual basis.
After attaining her degree in Business Law, Tina spent five years as Chief Stewardess on board luxury yachts up to 50m and hasn’t looked back. Her career as a seasoned charter professional has included a tenure with Fraser Yachts and The Crew Network and successfully running her own business. West Nautical’s clients immediately recognise the value of Tina’s experience, which encompasses brokerage, charter, yacht management, crew recruitment and shore support.
Working alongside colleagues, Charter Management Assistant Leanne Le Roux and Senior Charter Broker and Manager Claire Sinclair, the department is growing from strength to strength.
Like the ladies in business administration, all three of these women have worked on yachts as crew prior to settling into their shoreside careers, where they gained invaluable experience and understanding of how yachts operate. The knowledge gained allows them to provide outstanding luxury charter holidays to their clients, whether it is in the South of France, Greece, Italy, the Caribbean or beyond.
After spending over 20 years running successful businesses ashore, Claire now combines her business expertise with her passion for the yachting industry. She brings with her a wealth of sailing knowledge, previously participating in numerous regattas and working on board luxury vessels as senior superyacht crew. She has experienced the world’s finest charter destinations first-hand, enabling her to offer the very best bespoke care and advice to her clients.
After working on high profile yachts as a Chief Stewardess for many years, Leanne then moved shoreside to work within yacht crew recruitment. Now based in France, she works for West Nautical as Charter Management Assistant, applying her yachting expertise to maximise results for the West Nautical central agency fleet.
Yacht Management
With a diverse range of career paths, the women in the yacht management team come from a mixture of prior seafaring and land-based careers, the team has a solid foundation and varied skillsets, with attention to detail and accuracy as the common denominator.
Made up of Vessel Manager Kristina Hogg, Vessel Management Assistant Gemma Irwin and Crew Manager Oksana Huntingdon, these ladies, along with their male colleagues, have the great responsibility of ensuring the smooth management of the operations of luxury yachts and vessels at sea.
Kristina Hogg initially set out studying fashion at university, but her love of the ocean and background in sailing led her back to the yachting industry, where she combined her passions, often creating covers and awnings with her sewing skills whilst working on board.
On her role as Vessel Manager at West Nautical Kristina said: “My day is a dynamic mix of managing multiple priorities and collaborating with a variety of stakeholders to support the yachts in the fleet. I’m constantly on my toes, whether I’m reviewing drill reports, drafting fleet notices, managing insurance claims and renewals, liaising with Class & Flag, or onboarding a new yacht into our fleet. Every day is different, but it’s always fast-paced, engaging, and challenging.
Crew Manager Oksana began her professional career as an interpreter: “My background as an interpreter gave me a unique skill set that helped me to transition into the yachting world. It sharpened my attention to detail, cross-cultural understanding, and precision in communication – all of which are crucial when managing a crew from diverse nationalities and backgrounds”.
With 15 years of experience in an administrative role within the Classification Society Operations department, Gemma gained a comprehensive understanding of industry standards and operations: “Over the years, I’ve honed my expertise in managing administrative tasks, supporting operational processes, and ensuring interdepartmental coordination to uphold compliance and efficiency. Starting as a Vessel Management Assistant, building a strong foundation of knowledge about yachts, systems, and regulatory requirements is key. The yachting industry is be fast-paced, and your ability to stay organised, communicate clearly, and manage multiple tasks will be crucial to your success.
Yacht Crew Recruitment
Crew Recruiter and Crew Assistant Kate-Lynne Shaw, and Crew Recruiter Sarah Diggle Whitlock are responsible for West Nautical’s crew recruitment services. Both of these women work remotely. Kate-Lynne is based in sunny South Africa, while Sarah lives in Yorkshire, visiting the Newcastle office periodically.
As is often the case with West Nautical employees, both worked at sea before heading ashore and commencing their roles with the company. They are tasked with placing crew on board superyachts, where the dynamic is often like a surrogate family.
Combined with their industry knowledge, it is their role to understand not only the logistical needs of the crew, but how different candidates will fit and thrive within the ‘work hard, play hard’ environment of a luxury yacht, where it can feel like a bit of a pressure cooker after a busy summer season.
Kate-Lynne joined West Nautical as Crew Recruitment Consultant following nine years at sea, having worked her way up from junior stewardess to purser on some very well-known vessels, both private and charter.
She brings a wealth of experience to West Nautical’s Crew Recruitment department, having experienced first-hand how important it is to match the right crew member with the correct vessel, and vice-versa.
Sarah’s pathway to the industry was forged from her love of the ocean and diving: “Whilst travelling the world, doing all kind of weird and wonderful jobs, I decided to train to be a dive instructor. I did a six-month internship in Byron Bay to gain my Divemaster’s qualification, then headed to Mallorca to complete my instructor’s course. After working in South Africa for a year specialising in great white shark cage diving, I came back to Mallorca. I became friends with many yacht captains, who convinced me to change my career and join the industry, and I’ve never looked back!”
Marketing
With an ever-expanding central agency fleet to represent, and an increasingly busy calendar of shows and private events, the West Nautical marketing department is a small team with a large output.
Built on a backbone of varying skills that all overlap and intertwine, and led by Head of Marketing David Thirlwell, the female members of the team consist of; Marketing and Content Editor Zoe Smith, Public Relations Manager Sarah Mackenzie, Marketing Assistant Erika Wright, recently joined by Marketing Intern Anna Parkinson.
The team is responsible for any materials that reach clients and the public, from yacht brochures, social media and editorials to video editing, press releases, email marketing and photography, as well as any artwork and promotional materials for events.
On her role at West Nautical, Zoe Smith said: “I’ve always loved writing but have also always been interested in science and the ocean. My role at West Nautical allows me to do what I’m good at and write on a regular basis while promoting our fleet of luxury superyachts. I've also had the opportunity to travel to create content for our fleet, so as a marketing job goes, it's a privilege to work in such an exciting industry."
Erika Wright studied graphic design at university and worked in the automotive industry before joining the team: “One of the things I love most about my job is working with spectacular imagery of world-class yachts and representing such a prestigious, high-end product. There’s something exciting about showcasing the elegance and luxury of these yachts through creative marketing – and it’s always a great conversation starter when people ask what I do.”
When asked on what advice she’d give someone trying to get into the yachting industry, Marketing Intern Anna Parkinson commented: “Say yes to opportunities, even if they seem small at first. The industry is all about connections, so put yourself out there, go to events, meet people, and don’t be afraid to ask questions. Also, learn the boats—knowing the details inside out will set you apart!”
While each of these departments feature some wonderful women, these teams of course are filled with great men, and a unanimous highlight for everyone, when asked what they enjoy most about working at the company is the great work environment and team as a whole. As the company continues to grow and expand, COO Neil Schofield commented:
“We’ve got a great balance of male and female team members here at West Nautical, and this combination is what helps the company to excel on a daily basis, through different perspectives, voices and opinions. We have women at all levels throughout the company, from interns to department heads, and we’re excited to see where the next few years takes the team as we continue to grow.”
