In 2018 Derek was awarded the ISS Business Person of the year Award for his work setting up and Chairing Superyacht Charities (www.superyachtcharities.com) which has successfully grown year on year. This is a voluntary position which runs alongside all other work. Born in Aberdeen, Scotland in April 1963 Derek’s family moved to Malaysia in August of the same year. After spending five years in Malaysia (at which time Derek spoke 5 languages – Malay, English, Tamil, Mandarin & Dutch) his family moved to New Zealand briefly before heading to the Solomon Islands for the next 10 years. It was in the Solomon Islands that Derek developed his love of the sea through a father who was a very keen diver and a mother who managed the local Honiara Yacht Club. Diving most weekends whilst swimming and canoeing most week nights. After school with the local kids, the sea was a big part of life as a child in the tropics, where Derek said he learnt to speak “Pidgin English”. His first vessel construction was at the age of 7 in Honiara, Solomon Islands. The yard was not well known and the vessel was an all wood construction including the main drive unit. The vessel was a 2.8m solid wood canoe cut / chiselled out from a single large log. The drive unit was a solid wood paddle cut and shaped from the same log. The next was a few months later as Derek assisted his father and uncle in building his own hard chimed yacht, also in the Solomon Islands. Educated in New Zealand he continued his enjoyment of the sea and water activities with sailing and a little surfing. After University where he studied Agricultural Economics at Massey University, Derek spent two years working in Management, Design and Sales before heading off on his Kiwi overseas experience. Having backpacked across Australia, Indonesia, Malaysia, Thailand and then through Israel and Egypt, he got his first job as a mate on a sailing yacht out of Eilat, Israel heading for Spain. Life at sea as a Captain finished after the arrival of his first daughter. It was then Derek moved ashore working for an Engineering firm in Auckland as part of their design and sales team to all the ship yards in New Zealand. On returning to Europe for the arrival of their second daughter, Derek was able to start consulting in the role of Owners Representative / Project Manager. Since then the projects have been varied and interesting with excellent relationships having developed. I have had the pleasure of working in various yards in Italy and Holland. Each different and challenging in their very own way.

Matthew grew up in Poole, on the South Coast of the UK where he harboured a love of the sea from an early age. He was awarded a Commercial Cadetship with Princess Cruises upon completing his A Levels at Poole Grammar School. During his time in the Merchant Navy Matthew also earned his BSc Hons. Degree in Marine Operations Management through distance learning. He was also privileged to work with the Discovery Channel during his time at Princess Cruises. After five years at sea, Matthew was given the opportunity to join the build team of a 107m Explorer yacht in Norway as Safety Officer. He worked there through to delivery and the first Med season before going on leave to study for his Chief Mate Unlimited license. During this time, Matthew was approached for another build in Northern Germany on a similar sized project. Shortly after delivery he was promoted to Chief Officer. Over the last five years he has operated between the Mediterranean and Middle East, dealing with everything from the Monaco Yacht Show to Piracy in the Gulf of Aden. Matthew joined Divergent Yachting early in 2021 taking over the DPA role for our fleet of Yachts, including the worlds largest private sailing vessel.

She looked after multiple yachts towards the end of the new build stage through to ongoing management. During the past year the finance department of Divergent has worked closely with the Purser onboard a large new build yacht. We have discussed and decided on a workable finance accountancy package which can be used efficiently by the yacht and management. After qualifying AAT in 1997 Christien furthered her accountancy training by joining the Guardian Media Group assisting the Financial Controller of the commercial radio sector. This was followed by a move in to the construction industry as a Company Accountant and then into a senior finance role within a large property management company. Christien then moved into the Superyacht Industry and took a position as Senior Accountant within a yacht management company in 2011. Dealing with the company UK finance operation and overseeing the yacht management function she looked after multiple yachts towards the end of the new build stage through to ongoing management. Christien joined Divergent in July 2017 bringing 7 years proven experience in large yacht finance management. Finance Department During the past year the finance department of Divergent has worked closely with the Purser onboard a large new build yacht. We have discussed and decided on a workable finance accountancy package which can be used efficiently by the yacht and management. We visited the yacht while in yard to build working relationships and to provide direct support and to find out what would work and how. We created bespoke expenditure categories which would work for the type of yacht and amended SOP’s to clarify the Yacht Owners responsibilities and intentions. Straight forward accurate monthly reports are produced for the yacht Owner. Yacht Owners can also log directly into their yachts software and view the details behind the published financial reports. We aim to provide clear reporting and can adapt the reports to the Clients requirements.

Having worked for a large yacht management company before, Tania has extensive experience in yacht management, delivering professional technical progress reports on the new build projects and using her fluent Russian skills to interpret at the Owner’s meetings. Having gained extensive knowledge in ISM Administration over the past two years and successfully completed an ISM Auditor’s course, Tania has stepped up as our Compliance Manager. Being a social media whizz, she’s also our Social Media Manager. Tania was elected as the Ambassador for the Superyacht Charities Foundation in March 2018 and is really enjoying contributing to the charitable work in the superyacht industry.

As the ‘Head of Compliance’ with direct responsibility for all ISM, ISPS and MLC issues for SY Black Pearl, the largest private sailing yacht in the world. In recognition of his extensive Maritime background and experience David was elected as an ‘Associate Fellow’ of The Nautical Institute in July 2012 and is the ‘Superyacht’ representative on the Marshall Islands Quality Council and Chairman of the Yacht Advisory Group for Europe. David commenced his maritime career with a Deck Officer apprenticeship at Trinity House before completing a successful career in the Royal Navy spanning over 35 years. His postings included the Senior Naval rating at the Defence Intelligence and Security School and the Senior Warrant Officer at the Joint Service Intelligence Organisation.  These postings led to David being awarded the Meritorious Service Medal for services to the Intelligence community. For his final appointment in the Royal Navy David was selected by the 2nd Sea Lord as the ‘Command Warrant Officer’ of the surface fleet, the most senior position in the Royal Navy Fleet for a non-commissioned officer. On leaving the RN David joined ‘Carnival UK’ as an ISM/ISPS Compliance Auditor before being promoted to ‘Fleet Training Manager’ directly responsible for all occupational Health, Safety and Security training throughout the Carnival UK fleet comprising of the P&O and Cunard Cruise liners. Jan 2012 saw a change to the ‘Superyacht’ industry where David joined a US based Yacht Management company running the UK office in the position of ‘Senior Compliance Officer’. The position included the roles of ‘Designated Person Ashore’ and ‘Company Security Officer’ with full ISM/ISPS/MLC responsibility for 22 Superyachts. During his time in the Superyacht industry David has assisted in the delivery and registration of a number of new build superyachts from 40 to 106 meters working with well know yacht builders including Lurssen, Feadship, Amels, Hakvoort and Oceanco. For the last 18 months David has been employed by ‘Divergent Yachting Ltd’ as the ‘Head of Compliance’ with direct responsibility for all ISM, ISPS and MLC issues for SY Black Pearl, the largest private sailing yacht in the world. This involved constructing all the yachts SOP’s, Checklists, Safety Procedures and Risk Assessments and working with the legal team, flag state, Class society and Insurance Company to ensure a successful delivery and registration. In recognition of his extensive Maritime background and experience David was elected as an ‘Associate Fellow’ of The Nautical Institute in July 2012 and is the ‘Superyacht’ representative on the Marshall Islands Quality Council and Chairman of the Yacht Advisory Group for Europe. David has had a number of articles published in Superyacht related magazines and was recently on the expert panel at the ‘Superyacht Design Forum’.

She started her career as a South African diplomat and managed fundraising and marketing teams in London for thirteen years after moving to the UK. She was a visiting lecturer at a London university for six years supporting an MA degree programme in charity management and served in a compliance leadership role as an elected borough and parish councillor in Hampshire. Lizette holds professional qualifications from the International Association of Privacy Professionals and serves as the Data Protection Officer for a number of organisations. Lizette is a longtime supporter of the Superyacht Charities.