Gordon Hui, Sunseeker Asia, reveals the keys to success in the region

by Jeni Bone on 18 May 2010 A recent award winner at the 2010 Asia Boating Awards and Sunseeker dealer of the year for 2009, Gordon Hui is a dynamic force in the yachting scene, not only in Hong Kong, but across the region.

The son of renowned surgeons, Ada and the late Kenneth Sr, Sunseeker Asia managing director Gordon spent his formative years studying architecture in London. He and his wife Jill have two sons, Lucas and Alexander. The couple and their kids travel the world and now reside in Hong Kong.

• At the recent Hong Kong Gold Coast Boat Show, were people looking or buying?
We had quite a few enquiries this time but we did manage to sell two boats at this show luckily so far, we are also finalizing four more possible contracts having met with the clients and going through the specifications during the show.

• What was the feedback to your range?
We had interest on quite a few different sizes: 48 Portfino, Manhattan 52, Manhattan 63 [sold two], Manhattan 70, Predator 74, Yacht 80, Yacht 88 and a Predator 115. Funnily enough, no enquiry on the really large ones but I guess those customers would not go to the show, they will come straight to meet us or most likely ask us to meet them at their offices, like our existing seven clients for the Predator 130s, Predator 115s and the Yacht 40m/138.

• Did you get any strong leads?
Yes, we had many potential buyers visiting from China and our four dealers in Shanghai, Xiamen, Shenzhen and Hainan are following up.

• Did visitors express interest in the boating lifestyle?
Yes, I think boating has become more popular recently. Perhaps it’s become the weekend pastime, especially for families with young children as well as corporate entertainment.

• What other regional boat shows does Sunseeker Asia attend annually?
We cover 11 countries in Asia so we have to attend China [Shanghai, HK, Shenzhen, Hainan, Qingdao, Hangzhou, Xiamen], Singapore, Phuket, Maldives, Japan, Korea and India. The rest of our territories like Malaysia, Vietnam and Philippines do not hold any organized shows but we will be attending Philippines since we have just appointed a new partner who is also a client.

• How are they important for your company and the brand?
Very important, on top of relying on our partners marketing, we get to visit them and we can invite all their Asia clients to HK to test the real boats since we have over 60 Sunseekers here in HK unless we organize factory tours for them in UK.

• You have spent much of your life in the UK. What lured you back to Hong Kong?
I was sent to school in UK when I was 12 so I guess it was time to come home, also my two boys are half HK and half British so they wanted to spend time out here having been brought up in London. Sunseeker Asia came about by coincidence as I was moving back in 2003, the factory gave me the opportunity to represent them in Asia as I have been a Sunseeker customer since 1992 and so have my cousin and my brother.

• What other destinations do you enjoy travelling to?
I love travelling to Europe, since I lived in London, we used to visit South of France, Spain, Greece and many other European cities and resorts, in the Med especially.

• What do you like most about yachting and motor boats?
I think yachting or boating gives people the freedom and space to relax, especially on the weekends where the city is still busy and pretty hectic with shoppers and commuters. Heading out to sea or to the beaches is a sanctuary, it can of course become a social gathering too.

• Does your family enjoy the yachting lifestyle too?
When I was one year old, my parents were very keen boaters, weekends out whether rain or shine. I guess that has rubbed off on my two boys. I think the best thing for them is the outdoor activities and learning to swim in the sea at a very young age, very different to learning to swim in a pool because they get to know the danger and the limits of the ocean. They absolutely love it.

• Are they keen on following in your footsteps, or do their interests extend elsewhere?
Alex and Lucas are also keen snow skiers and golfing since they started young at about five years old. I guess I must have subconsciously influenced them – not forced of course!!

• Are you customers loyal? Do they come back for upgrades? Do you get together for musters, events, or regattas?
Our customers have mostly become our friends. I suppose being a consumer means our boat is frequently moored up next to our friends’ Sunseekers. Very often we are rafted up together with up to 10 boats. We used to organize BBQs on the beach with the caterers but recently with over 60 boats now in HK, we are not able to cope with that so we will have to organize it over several days.

• How do you market to your client base: events, regular email newsletters, personal contact?
We often get help from a PR company, especially for events like the Bond film premier joint venture with Aston Martin and Versace fashion. This Gold Coast boat show preview of the Chloe fashion line was also organized by a PR company called 911. We have our Sunseeker Asia leaflet introduction and we update that every year.

• How do you leverage the fashion and automotive brands you have worked with at boat shows and events?
Fashion shows have always been lifestyle, associated with top brand shipyards. We work with Aston Martin frequently because of our appearance in the 007 films but we have done events with Bentley and Rolls Royce in the past since these are all British top brands.

• How did you thrive during the Global downturn? What were some of your means of continuing to sell despite a tougher market?
We were very lucky in a way because China has recovered out of recession quite quickly and the GBP exchange rate dropped from 2009 from US$2/GBP1 to US$1.6/GBP1 today making Sunseekers 25% cheaper than the European competitors. The largest orders of Predator 115s and 130s as well as the 40m/138 Tri Deck were ordered in 2009 which was a pleasant surprise. My cousin has also been a tremendous support ordering two large Sunseekers 34m and 130 Predator at the same time and introducing me to his friends and we are extremely grateful.

• Where is boating ‘hot’ in Asia right now, and which markets are looking promising for the short, medium and long term?
I have to say China market is getting very strong but many owners keep their boats in HK, Shenzhen and Hainan, having said that, the other region which is becoming very popular is Thailand and Singapore which will link to Malaysia and Indonesia. We have also received enquiries from Bali. The Philippines has already set up a new partner and his new Manhattan 63. A Sunseeker Yacht 90 was sold there two years ago.

• Why is Asia such a great place to own a boat?
I think the cost of running a boat is reasonable in Asia and there are plenty of undiscovered places to visit, although Asia does not have the developed marinas like the Med with sophisticated hotels and restaurants for the megayachts to visit. But we have the unspoilt and remote beaches and islands which are a completely different scene?

• What are your other business ventures and how does boating relate to them?
My initial business is property investment and I studied architecture. I guess boating does not really relate to that but boating has also been my hobby since I was a child boating on my parents’ boat.

• What’s next on the agenda for Sunseeker Asia – plans for new brands, new offices, plans for expansion?
My policy is to take each day as it comes. As long as we are all enjoy doing something that we have passion for, we are lucky already. We will see whichever new area has potential and get to enjoy meeting new people there, hopefully we will discover more cruising grounds which is the most exciting thing in my opinion. My dream is get to cruise more in the Philippines, Vietnam and spend more time exploring Indonesia, Malaysia and Thailand.

More at www.sunseeker.com Tel: (852) 3105 9693.