GMBA

Global Marine Business Advisors

Trade Show Management

Godfrey Zwygart

CHINA AND ASIA

Experience

Frenchman Godfrey Zwygart is a former captain and chief engineer who spent decades in Taiwan, Hong Kong and China. Originally trained in the French Naval Academy he served on both navy and merchant ships and as captain on mega yachts. He moved to Asia in the 80’s as a boat builder in Taiwan, and now specializes in development, management and marketing of world class international yacht marinas and yacht clubs.

 

In 2010 Zwygart moved to Sanya to build and act as general manager operations of the multi-awards winning Sanya Serenity Marina. The 5 gold anchors platinum marina has been a host twice for the Volvo Ocean Race, as well as the Clipper Race and the youth world sailing championships.

 

Zwygart then established Marevisio Co Limited, aiming to help marinas and super yachts brands in the Asian region through management consultancy, training, and services. Zwygart has published two books as well as a large number of articles in Chinese and he is a prominent figure in China’s yachting and marine industry.

 

As foreign expert for the Hainan government, he collaborates with the local government on the development of the Hainan free trade port.

 

Zwygart is fluent in French, English, Italian and Chinese.

Regional Expertise

China and Asia

Recent Insights

Boris Miškić

Croatia, Montenegro

Experience

Boris has spent his entire working life in the nautical business, starting as the manager in a charter company. During the intensive growth in the country, which in 2010 officially hosted a third of the world’s charter fleet, the NCP charter has developed and become the leading Croatian charter company.

 

By moving to a commercial shipyard as the commercial – technical director, he participated in the transformation from an exclusively naval shipyard into a shipyard specializing in the repair and the maintenance of superyachts.

 

Boris is also a co-owner of a travel agency specialized in the organization of tailor-made events at sea, nautical team building programmes and sailing regattas. As the director of the project for the development of the first Croatian marina for mega yachts, the Mandalina marina in Šibenik, and as its first director, he introduced new standards and elements in the design of marinas in Croatia.

 

Since 2005, Boris has been leading an experienced team in marina development, from producing pontoons, marina designs, project management and oversight of the installation of new recreational marinas. He has participated in over 120 marina projects, from development, construction, expansion and even the reconstruction of ports and marinas, in over 14 Mediterranean countries.

 

Boris is a licensed Yacht-Master, sailing instructor and sailing referee.

Regional Expertise

Croatia, Montenegro

Recent Insights

Yavuz Sipahi

Yavuz Sipahi

TURKEY

Experience

Yavuz Sipahi started his illustrious career in the marine sector 52 years ago with a solid career in the Turkish Navy, retiring from active service as a staff commander in 1984.

 

He started his first boatbuilding firm in the Bodrum region, focusing mainly on the ever popular Turkish gullets. The company expanded to component manufacturing, yacht maintenance and refurbishment projects.

 

He joined Atakoy Marina in İstanbul as Technical Manager in 1989 where he was able to get first hand experience of marina management and maintenance. Always eager to take on new challenegs, he later left to join BURLA group where he was the General Manager for the Marine Division until his retirement in mid- 2020.

 

He has been an active part of numerous local and international industry bodies, and has served as board member and President on a number of occasions. His experience includes years of service in DENTUR /YATED, YATEF, ADF, DDD, DTO, TRYIAD in Turkey, ICOMIA.

 

Yavuz is excited about the myriad opportunities in the marine sector and looks forward to sharing his knowledge and expertise with the next generation of business and industry leaders.

Regional Expertise

Turkey

Recent Insights

Dr Thomas Dammrich, DBA

USA

Experience

Twenty years leading the National Marine Manufacturers Association (NMMA) has given Dr. Thomas Dammrich, DBA, a deep understanding the recreational marine industry in North America. With thirty years of experience as a CEO, he is currently advising organizations on business strategy and has broad experience in organizational development, trade and consumer shows, marketing, advocacy, board service, and research. He has done ground-breaking research for the marine industry as part of his Doctoral program.

 

Dammrich currently serves as a member of the Recreational Boating and Fishing Foundation Board of Directors which he Chaired from 2005 to 2007, as a member of the Board of Directors and Chairman of the Management Committee for the Center for Sportfish Policy, is a member of the Board of the Future Anglers Foundation and the Board of Directors of Wintrust Bank and Niven Marketing. Dammrich is a two-time President of the International Council of Marine Industry Associations (ICOMIA).

 

Dammrich has a BA in Economics, an MBA in Finance, an MS in Accountancy, and a Doctorate of Business Administration, all from DePaul University in Chicago. He is a member of the NMMA Hall of Fame, ASA Sportfishing Hall of Fame, Boating Safety Hall of Fame.

Regional Expertise

North America

Insights

Lorenzo Pollicardo

Lorenzo Pollicardo

ITALY

Experience

Lorenzo is a naval architect and marine engineer who has served over 12 years at RINA, the Italian Class Society, as Head of the Yachting Department and Shipping Certification Department. His technical expertise is renowned and he has lectured at the Universities of Genoa, Milan, La Spezia, Rome, Parma. He also has extensive practical experience as consultant to top firms such as Cranchi, Besenzoni, Bellotti, Foresti & Suardi, Guidi.

 

He has extensively served the industry on various committees as technical advisor, Secretary General and Chairman. These associations include UCINA (Italian Marine Industry Association), ICOMIA (Technical Committee and Super Yacht Committee) , European Boating Federation, Nautica Italiana, SYBAss (Superyacht Builders Association) and ViareggiofUCINA, the Italian School of Yachting. He also advises CNA-Nautica, the Italian Confederation of marine SMEs and marine shipyard suppliers and Federagenti, the Italian Federation of Shipping Agents, responsible for the Yacht Division.

 

His experience in event management include the Venice International Boat Show and YARE, the Yacht After Market & Refit Experience in Viareggio. He has worked as Strategic Consultant at the Genoa Harbour Port Authority, at La Spezia City Mayor and at the Ligurian Marine Consortium “1 One”.

Regional Expertise

Italy

Recent Insights

Jean-Michel Gaigné, CMM

FRANCE

Experience

Jean-Michel Gaigné is a long time expert in the yachting sphere and has an extensive knowledge of the European and international marina industry. His career started 40 years ago as organizer of the famous Tour de France à la Voile sailing event after which he changed tack to become the Communications Manager of a worldwide nautical company. He has been developing marina facilities since the early 1990’s.

 

A prominent representative of the French marina industry, Jean-Michel is a member of the ICOMIA Marinas Group, Chairman of TransEurope Marinas, Member of the advisory board of Global Marina Institute and member of The Yacht Harbour Association Council. Prior to joining GMBA, Jean-Michel was part of the management of Saint-Quay Port d’Armor, a 1000+ berth marina in Brittany, France.  He now acts as a marketing, development and innovation consultant for marinas, marine tourism, cruise ships and waterside activities.

 

Jean-Michel Gaigné CMM est un expert de longue date de l’univers maritime, et un fin connaisseur de l’activité des ports de plaisance, au niveau européen et international. Il a démarré sa carrière il y a 40 ans comme organisateur du fameux Tour de France à la Voile, avant de prendre ensuite la direction de la communication d’une entreprise multinationale de l’industrie nautique. Depuis le début des années 90, il se consacre principalement au développement et à l’exploitation de ports de plaisance.


Acteur majeur du monde des ports de plaisance français, Jean-Michel est membre de l’ICOMIA Marinas Group, président de TransEurope Marinas, membre du conseil consultatif du Global Marina Institute, et administrateur de la Yacht Harbour Association. Il vient de quitter la direction générale de Saint-Quay Port d’Armor, une grande marina de plus de 1000 anneaux, en Bretagne, et voue désormais ses activités au conseil en marketing, développement et innovation, dans les domaines des ports de plaisance, du tourisme maritime, de l’industrie de la croisière et des sports nautiques.

Regional Expertise

France, Europe

Recent Insights