Please select your home edition
Edition
Barton Marine 2019 728x90

Thriving in the environment: J/111 Owner Profile - Louise Makin

by Key Yachting 1 Jun 2021 23:30 PDT
Journeymaker II competing at the Landsail Tyres J-Cup © Paul Wyeth / Key Yachting

Louise Makin has received notable recognition in the business world and the sport of sailing. For 15 years, Louise was CEO of British Technology Group (BTG) before Boston Scientific completed the acquisition for $4.2 billion.

In 2017, Louise was appointed as the Chair for the Board of Trustees for the 1851 Trust.

Chris Jones and Louise Makin's J/111 JourneyMaker II is a familiar sight racing in the Solent. Journeymaker II, a past winner of the J/111 UK National Championship, will be competing at the Landsail Tyres J-Cup (24-26 June). For over 20 years the J-Cup has been the J Boats family gathering in the UK, and Chris and Louise have been competing at the event for many years.

"Sailing and business are about driving performance in very fast changing environments. Sailing is just about the only sport where you use the environment rather than just manage it and bring about really disciplined execution. Business today is hugely disrupted all the time and its environment is volatile and very uncertain. Sailing is a phenomenal metaphor for having to cope, use, and thrive to win, by exploiting that volatility."

The 1851 Trust was created by Sir Keith Mills with Ben Ainslie Racing during BAR's first America's Cup Campaign. In 2017, Louise was appointed as the Chair for the Board of Trustees. "The 1851 Trust is a place dear to my heart. The Trust has a recognition that there's an awful lot of young people who are completely turned off by science as it is taught in school. If science was presented as innovative and cutting edge, then actually they will be really inspired to go and do STEM subjects."

Read the full interview with Louise Makin at keyyachting.com/news.

Related Articles

Sailors look ahead to 20th Ida Lewis Distance Race
PHRF will have its own share of excitement this year Set for its 20th running in 2025, the annual Ida Lewis Distance Race has solidified its reputation as a well-organized, competitively challenging overnight offshore event. Posted on 29 May
North Sails May Regatta 2025 at Royal Southern YC
Including Round 2 of the Cape 31 class UK series Last weekend saw the first event in the Royal Southern's flagship Summer Series for 2025 - the North Sails May Regatta. 67 boats competed across six classes on three race areas. Posted on 25 May
Stop Guessing, Start Winning
The Ultimate Cheat Sheet for Fast Rig Settings You know the boats that kept finishing ahead of you last season? They're not faster. They're just better at repeating what works. Posted on 8 May
2025 Yachting Cup at San Diego YC overall
Awarding 7 class winners along with the overall award to J/24 Wharf Rat Day 2 of SDYC's Yachting Cup started with a bit of rain and overcast coastal skies. The race management team was concerned about the forecast conditions - specifically the sea state, which built as a result of an overnight offshore front. Posted on 5 May
2025 Yachting Cup at San Diego YC Day 1
Competitive racing with light conditions for the seven classes After all the concern about inclement weather and alternate plans... Day 1 of San Diego Yacht Club's Yachting Cup defied the forecasts. Posted on 4 May
SDYC hosts the 2025 Yachting Cup this weekend
Featuring one design and handicap classes racing Each year as the calendar flips to May, San Diego Yacht Club hosts the annual Yachting Cup regatta, featuring one design and handicap classes racing. Posted on 2 May
Charleston Race Week at Patriots Point overall
Darby Smith thought his chances of winning the J/22 class were derailed on Friday Darby Smith thought his chances of winning the J/22 class at Charleston Race Week at Patriots Point were derailed during the third race held Friday. That's because the main halyard aboard Tasmanian Devil snapped and the boat was unable to finish. Posted on 14 Apr
Charleston Race Week at Patriots Point Day 2
Standings tighten on 'Moving Day' It was moving day at Charleston Race Week at Patriots Point and that's exactly what several skippers and teams did. Posted on 13 Apr
Charleston Race Week at Patriots Point Day 1
Spectacular start with sunny skies, warm temperatures and solid wind Charleston Race Week at Patriots Point got off to a spectacular start on Friday with sunny skies, warm temperatures and solid wind. Competitors on Circle 1 completed four races, while those on Circle 2 got in three. Posted on 12 Apr
158 entries set for Charleston Race Week
18 classes racing at Patriots Point Robin Team has skippered an entry at Charleston Race Week at least 15 times and done so quite successfully. The Lexington, North Carolina resident presented with the Palmetto Cup, awarded to winner of the most competitive handicap class, five times. Posted on 11 Apr
Cyclops Marine 2023 November - FOOTERArmstrong 728x90 - HA Foil Range - BOTTOMExposure Marine