Northrop and Johnson Australia on course for major growth

by Northrop and Johnson Australia on 6 Jun 2017 Just 12 months after forging an alliance with one of the world’s top superyacht charter and brokerage brands, Cameron Bray has Northrop and Johnson Australia steaming ahead on a course of major growth in the marine industry.

The rebranding of the Bray Management superyacht charter operation as the Australian representative of Northrop and Johnson has been the catalyst for significant developments for the Gold Coast-based yachtie and his company.

In that time, Northrop and Johnson Australia’s charter fleet under management has expanded from two to 12 superyachts, making it the largest in the country.

It is also the only superyacht charter company in Australia to have dedicated charter management and charter retail teams, allowing it to service brokers and clients from Australia and overseas.

Mr Bray is now setting Northrop and Johnson Australia’s course towards establishing an office in the superyacht mecca of Sydney, and recruiting even more talent to his team, which has grown from two to five members in the past year.

“Now entering the second year after our rebranding, we’re continuing the growth that we’ve achieved in just 12 months,” Mr Bray said.
“Becoming the Australian arm of Northrop and Johnson has propelled us faster along the path that we were already on and catapulted the business to a whole new level.

“Our goal is to have more superyachts for charter in Australian waters and to facilitate more international visitors coming down here to enjoy them,” he said.

Assisting in that objective is Northrop and Johnson Australia’s ability to guide superyacht owners and purchasers through the process of turning their dream boat into a charter business.

“Previously, we consulted with other brokers if someone wanted to acquire a yacht and start up a charter business,” Mr Bray said.

“But the combination of our local industry expertise and trusted client relationships with Northrop and Johnson’s company structure and resources has allowed us to bring the entire process in-house much sooner than we had hoped.
“Now we can do everything from sales, purchase and new construction through to charter, charter management and crew recruitment.

“This is better for us because we keep all our knowledge and intellectual property in-house, while making the whole process easier and more seamless for our clients,” he said.

Mr Bray said he had attended five international boat shows in the past year to promote the rebranded business and act as an unofficial ambassador for the Australian superyacht industry.

“It’s important that the global industry knows that Australia’s superyacht scene is as sophisticated and safe as anywhere else in the world,” Mr Bray said.
“Australia is becoming a buzzword on the international charter scene and overseas charter brokers need to have the confidence to send their clients to the other side of the world.

“Our yachts are world standard and we have professional crews, exceptional maintenance and servicing facilities along the coastline and amazing cruising grounds to explore like the Great Barrier Reef and Sydney Harbour.

“We also use the same contracts as the highly respected Mediterranean Yacht Brokers Association, which is recognised around the world,” he said.

Northrop and Johnson Australia is the only Australian yacht company to be independently MYBA accredited with a locally managed fleet.

Mr Bray said the growth and ongoing success of Northrop and Johnson Australia’s operation would have a positive knock-on effect for the entire Australian superyacht industry.

“Everyone benefits from the supply chain expanding,” he said. “As we achieve our goals of making the Australian superyacht fleet bigger, everyone else in the industry flourishes.”

Deepening his industry involvement beyond business, Mr Bray was recently elected chair of the Superyacht Queensland committee, an arm of peak industry body Superyacht Australia, in addition to his role as committee member of Superyacht Australia and membership of working groups on key industry issues.

Mr Bray also received mainstream recognition for his contribution to further developing the superyacht holiday industry when he was named Gold Coast 2016 Young Entrepreneur of the Year for Tourism.

Mr Bray has worked throughout the world in the yachting industry as a captain, sales broker, retail charter agent and yacht manager after successfully blending his tertiary qualification with his passion.

“I put my business management degree and love of boats together to create my passion and lifestyle in a job,” he said.

Mr Bray founded Bray Management in mid-2012 and said he was humbled when Northrop and Johnson approached him a few years later to take the helm of its push into Australian waters.

“It was an incredibly humbling thing to happen after starting the business in the spare room of my home,” he said.
“We are very excited about the future because there’s still so much potential to be realised in the Australian superyacht industry.”

For more details about Northrop and Johnson Australia, visit here.