Trade Association

Paul has been a Committee member on the MTA for 10 years and is the current Chair and BM Board member.  He has worked in the Marine sector for over 30 years and is passionate about the Marine Industry.

He is currently Associate Director for First Peninsula Marine, specialising in the sale and purchase of Marine companies and also offers specialist consultancy services.

Nickie joined British Marine in during lockdown 2020. Prior to this she worked for a local government in the fleet and transport department for 10 years. Nickie has had a varied career which included owning a pub for 6 years! 

At British Marine Nickie has a face-to-face role within the membership team and gets to meet many members, covering all the inland associations from the Thames to the Midlands regions. Her role is varied and includes booking and minuting committee meetings, arranging events for associations, attending shows, and visiting members.

In her spare time Nickie enjoys a walking her crazy cocker spaniel, gardening, cooking, travelling at home and abroad – her favourite places so far being Italy, Greece and Cornwall and she would love to go to Japan one day. Nickie enjoys spending weekends with her family and has 4 grown up children and 3 grandchildren which include a newborn granddaughter. 

Suzanne Blaustone is CEO of Barton Marine Equipment Ltd, which manufactures deck equipment for sailing yachts in Whitstable Kent.

Suzanne moved to the UK in 1997 following manufacturing positions in the steel industry and chemical resins industries in the US. 

She has served on the MTA committee for 5 year’s.

Alastair Clayton is the MD & owner of both Seaglaze and Houdini Marine who manufacture bespoke windows & doors in Norfolk for the marine & allied industries.  Whilst Alastair is just joining the MTA Committee he has been involved with various British Marine committee’s over the years and is following in father’s footsteps who has also previously served on the MTA committee.

Joining Advance Yacht Services in July 2022, Rob has stepped up to Managing Director in January 2023. He leads a small team in Romsey, Hampshire importing and distributing marine systems equipment: Paguro and Westerbeke generators, Frigomar air conditioning, Dessalator watermakers,  Cristec power management equipment and Remoran hydrogenerators. Advance Yacht Systems sells to boat builders, trade installers and the general public.

With a degree in microelectronics & software engineering, Rob worked with large high tech industry players in a senior role for many years, subsequently gaining a second degree in business management (MBA).  He then spent 18 years heading, managing, and financing small businesses. With an understanding of technology and a firm grasp of business management and accounting, Rob brings to Advance Yacht the skills to form strategy, manage the process and get directly involved in the daily functions, along with new energy and enthusiasm for the business. 

Rob is a keen yachtsman, regularly racing his J109 in the Solent and cross channel.

Kim has a broad range of board and managerial level experience and knowledge in marine, tech and education businesses ranging from 2-2000 people. Within the marine industry he is best known as the former editor of Motor Boats Monthly, group editor of IBI, publisher of ybw.com and digital development director for Time Warner in the UK. These days he has his own business consultancy, Hollamby Partnership, serves as a non-exec director for two marine companies, edits and produces British Marine magazine and serves as the non voting secretary for the world renowned DAME Awards and the IBI METSTRADE Boat Builder Awards, among other credits

Jeff Batchelor is a director at Deep Blue Systems Ltd which supplies Cloud Based software Dealer Management Systems to the Automotive, Retail and Marine industries that covers invoicing, parts and equipment stock management including boats, outboards, inboards, personal watercraft and workshop management. 

After completing an Engineering and business management degree Jeff spent 8 years working for BMW UK as a graduate trainee and dealer standards manager where he also completed an Executive MBA.

Since 2007 Jeff has been working at Deep Blue Systems Ltd and due to his passion for boating has been working with various marine manufacturers, suppliers and their dealer networks to support the marine industry.

Jeff has served on the MTA for a year now and is a keen boater and enjoys spending time on the water with family and friends in and around the Solent where he can be found most weekends. 

Emma York is a social media trainer, digital marketing consultant and owner of Fresh Approach Digital, specialising in the leisure marine industry. As past MTA Chair, Emma has served as part of the MTA Committee since 2014 and is a passionate advocate for marine industry networking, education and training