GMBA elects new chairperson
by Global Marine Business Advisors 7 Jun 2023 11:00 UTC
At the GMBA conference currently being held in Petersfield in the UK, Veda Pretorius, the GMBA consultant based in South Africa, was appointed as chairperson of the group. Veda takes over from David Lewin who has held the position of Chairman for the past 3 years and has been a driving force for GMBA since it started.
Jouko Huju, one of GMBA founding members, thanked David Lewin for the contribution he has made to GMBA, saying 'David has done a huge job guiding GMBA through the first years into a very unique, experienced group of industry professionals."
The newly appointed chairperson, Veda Pretorius, has been a member of GMBA since 2020 based in Cape Town. Veda was last week presented with a lifetime achievement award by SABBEX, The South African Boat Builders Export Council. Veda was instrumental in developing SABBEX into the organization it is today having run the council for 6 years.
MaryAnne Edwards, GMBA stated, "I have worked with Veda on several projects, and she brings a wealth of knowledge and experience to GMBA. Her broad-based understanding of the South African boat building, marina and superyacht sector are extremely valuable to GMBA and the projects we have worked on will assist in the ongoing development of the industry there. As the new Chairperson of the group Veda will be tasked with moving GMBA into the next stage of its development."
The international presence of GMBA extends to 18 countries around the globe ensuring a significant global footprint and the ability to offer extensive expertise to the marine industry.
The Global Marine Business Advisor group (GMBA) has grown over the past 3 years with a key focus being on working with businesses who wish to expand their export markets. The GMBA conference being held over 3 days will discuss several key topics including the current situation with supply chains, environmental and sustainability issues, the position of boat shows post covid and the current economic climate affecting the marine industry. Outcomes from these discussions will be covered briefly in the next GMBA newsletter.