At a press conference at the Singapore Yacht Show, Camper & Nicholsons Asia announced its new commercial director, Bart Kimman. Previously at Northrop & Johnson, Kimman has been based in Hong Kong for over two decades. Kimman will be working alongside managing director, Carmen Lau Stratton.

Camper & Nicholsons Asia, launched in April 2017, is a joint venture from Camper & Nicholsons International and their shareholder Lai Sun Development Company. The company has a sales team based in Hong Kong, and a charter team in Thailand.

“Bart has an extensive experience in superyacht brokerage, charter and new build. This is all
enhanced through his extensive knowledge of the Asian market garnered over 20 years,” said Lau Stratton in a statement to the press. “He is a great addition to our dynamic executive team, creating a true customer-oriented service for the Asian market where he will also help us to speed up in reaching full potential of Camper & Nicholsons in this market.”

At the press conference earlier on today, Lau Stratton emphasised the brand’s commitment to delivering the best service to their clients, which is a key reason for welcoming Kimman to the team. “We want to make sure that we have the right tools, the right people and the right foundation.” She also highlighted Bart’s reputation in the superyacht world, “Bart is very well-known and respected in the industry, so we are really pleased to have him.”

Kimman detailed his ongoing dedication to improving the manner in which industry professionals work. “I have always been a fighter to create standards in the market, and I’m looking forward to joining the Camper & Nicholsons family, to build this business and take it to the next level.” Commenting on the Asian market, Kimman has faith in the area’s potential, but does admit that the journey will not necessarily be easy. “Asia will only go one way, and that is up,” he remarked, “But we do have to navigate a few obstacles.”

Paolo Casani, president of Camper & Nicholsons International, added that the strength of the brand’s reputation is due to a lack of franchising or licensing, which means that all outlets are directly controlled by the company. He also echoed Kimman’s views of ethical business practices, “We have an internal compliance department,” he explained, “We provide advice to all our brokers over the world. This is to protect our team, our customers and our owners.” Casani recalled an incident that happened recently where the Camper & Nicholsons International team had to provide comprehensive financial details of a yacht to French police, who were highly complimentary about the firm’s business practices.

The appointment of such an established figure is sure to only strengthen Camper & Nicholsons Asia’s place as one of the leaders in the region's yachting industry. 

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