Equiom, the multinational corporate service provider, has appointed Geoff McCumesky, former chief yacht accountant at Burgess, to take on the position of yachting consultant, a new role created by Equiom to effectively meet the needs of its growing multijurisdictional yachting and crewing services. SuperyachtNews speaks exclusively with McCumesky about his new role and the evolving relationship between corporate service providers and some of the superyacht market’s stakeholders.

“My role is to bridge the gap that has, on occasion, developed over the years between corporate service providers (CSPs) and some stakeholders,” starts McCumesky. “During my time at Burgess I worked with several CSPs and it often felt like it was us versus them. Moving forward, it has to be clear that in order to benefit the owner the various parties need to be working together.”

McCumesky explains that a number of the issues that have manifested over the years have, in part, been down to a lack of communication between various stakeholders working on behalf of the owner. “Equiom is never going to be a yacht manager,” he says. “But, what we will do is understand the particular needs of the owner that go beyond the scope of a yacht manager and use our depth of expertise to facilitate bringing these needs to fruition. Part of my role is to get the message out there that this level of expertise across various disciplines, from VAT to importation, is available to Equiom clients.”

More than just providing a conduit for the smooth running of a vessel, McCumesky espouses the need to understand owner profiles in order to provide a less insular approach to superyachts as an asset. CSPs, he explains, should be a form of centralised information channel that operates alongside and in harmony with the principle’s various interests. This way, the owner will not be burdened with duplicated, unneeded or unwanted information. Equally, if there is information that needs to be communicated to the owner, concerning budgets, usage or otherwise, McCumesky’s role as the yachting specialist will help to facilitate these nuanced tasks. “My role is to be a fixer,” he says.

“It’s fantastic to have someone of Geoff’s calibre join the team as we continue to experience significant growth. With Geoff’s guidance, we’re predicting a very busy season,” comments Richard Tribe, head of business development, Europe, of Equiom. “His focus will be on business development for the yachting and crewing side of the business, as well as ensuring we have the best resources in place to deliver the superior service our clients expect."

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