Sunseeker International, Britain’s biggest boat builder, is pleased to announce the appointment of Michael Straughan as Chief Operating Officer.

Michael joins Sunseeker from Bentley Motors Ltd, where he was Member of the Board for Manufacturing and brings with him a wealth of experience in premium luxury manufacture.  Having lead the operations of some major production facilities both in the UK and abroad, Michael has provided key direction and substantial improvements for several major brands across multiple and complex product offerings and so will provide Sunseeker with further operational expertise and an uncompromising focus on quality.

Commenting on the appointment, Phil Popham, CEO of Sunseeker, said: “We are delighted to welcome Michael to the executive team, it is a testament to the strength of the Sunseeker business today that we are able to attract his calibre of professional with a proven track record of directing successful manufacturing operations within the premium luxury sector.

“Michael will provide us with some crucial operational expertise as we enter an exciting phase of growth and ensure we can increase our production capacity efficiently while maintaining and improving our exceptional product quality. I am really looking forward to working with him and the rest of the team to deliver some bold new product plans that will see us further strengthen Sunseeker’s position as one of the world’s leading yacht builders.”

Michael added: “Sunseeker is a fantastic brand with an incredible reputation around the world for exciting, high quality products and I am delighted to be joining them.  The plans for the business will see this strengthen further still with significant investment planned across facilities and products, so this truly is an exciting time to be joining the business.  I am very excited to be given the opportunity to be a part of the future growth of this iconic brand.”

About Sunseeker International Limited:

Sunseeker is the world’s leading brand for luxury performance motor yachts.

Originally named Poole Power Boats, the company was founded by brothers Robert and John Braithwaite in 1969. The company changed its name to Sunseeker International in 1985 and has since become a global icon, with every Sunseeker the result of an uncompromising and unmatched approach to design, craftsmanship and performance.

In August 2013 a majority stake in the business was acquired by Wanda Group, the Beijing headquartered conglomerate with strong footprints across China, Europe and the US. Wanda Group is a committed long term shareholder providing strong financial and strategic backing for Sunseeker’s continued growth and success. In January 2015, they appointed Phil Popham as the company’s new Chief Executive Officer.

From its manufacturing base in Dorset on the south coast of England, Sunseeker employs c.2,300 people and produces around 150 boats every year ranging from 50-155 feet. Demand for the company’s larger models continues to grow year-on-year with more than 120 yachts over 100 feet in length already delivered. Buyers have benefitted from the company’s ‘Bespoke’ customisation service which allow individual customers to personalise their yacht. Working very closely with highly professional dealer representation in over 60 countries, service and product support is a key priority in maintaining customer satisfaction.

The Sunseeker range constantly sets new standards and benchmarks. From the dynamic San Remo and Sport Yacht models, through its luxurious Manhattan range, iconic Predator models, and its majestic Yachts range, each Sunseeker is the result of an uncompromising approach to innovative design and engineering excellence. Never settling for second best, it is this spirit of excellence that has driven Sunseeker to its pre-eminent position in the leisure marine industry today.

Sunseeker is recruiting 170 new skilled staff to support the introduction of several new models planned for 2017. The new roles will be based at its manufacturing operations in Dorset, covering construction trades including Carpentry, Plumbing and Electrical, Boat Building, plus Engineering trades including Mechanical Engineering, and Composites.

The current 12 boat range consists of:

Yacht               155, 131, 116, 95, 86, 76, 75

Sport Yacht      68

Predator           68, 57

Manhattan        66, 52

San Remo