*Targeting younger audiences will be a key focus going forward
Fraser Yacht’s CEO, Raphael Sauleau, has indicated in an interview that he is looking to develop a fresh impetus and focus for the company. This is perhaps timely as Fraser Yachts is celebrating its 70th anniversary this year.
Speaking to Europe Business Review and just a year into his new yachting role, Sauleau stated that the job is not only to maintain the company’s already-formidable reputation but also install a fresh impetus and focus. Targeting younger audiences, communicating transparency and encouraging social and environmental responsibility will be a key focus.
He told the Review: “The yachting industry is becoming more transparent and doing a better job of displaying itself as a real industry that provides livelihoods for people.” Sauleau is using the 70th year to not only to celebrate it as no small achievement but also to look forward and build on being the world’s largest superyacht services company currently employing 150 people in 12 offices worldwide.
He commented that: “To mark the occasion we are running several internal events with our employees, but there won’t necessarily be a big major party. We want to of course celebrate that we have been around for 70 years but also send the message that we are here for the future as well.”
After 15 years in the commercial shipping industry Sauleau took time to get to grip with his new role. He told the Review: “The first six months was partly spent understanding exactly how yachting brokerage, management and charter retail works. I put things together and also had the opportunity to review the company’s image, how this has been formed over time and how we can try to strengthen this. I don’t expect a revolution, more of an evolution which consists of some new projects which have been evident since January.”
He reports: “The job is not only to maintain the company’s already-formidable reputation but also install a fresh impetus and focus. Targeting younger audiences, communicating transparency and encouraging social and environmental responsibility form the crux of this subtle re-imaging. We have, an established line of customers but it is equally important to try to attract new customers who have not yet been exposed to yachting.
“They might not be your buyers,” he emphasised, “but if we can expose them to yachting they may start with chartering and then one day buy a yacht from us when the time is right. The approach to this generation is different, and we are trying many things, some of which have generated some strong interest. It is about encouraging them to try yachting and share the experience, starting up a long term relationship that could lead into a yacht purchase later on.”
Fraser Yachts CEO looks to develop a fresh impetus and focus _ IBI Plus Inte