Global Marine Business Advisors (GMBA) has appointed Godfrey Zwygart as its representative in China.
“The addition of Godfrey to the GMBA team further broadens the level of knowledge, expertise, and networks we can provide to our clients. With the commitment being seen to develop the leisure boating industry in China, Godfrey is a valuable addition to our team,” says Dr Jouko Huju, GMBA Finland.
GMBA is a group of marine industry senior experts, located on five continents and nineteen countries. The group, which held its first face-to-face meeting in Spain in March, continues to expand its portfolio of clients and advisors and is becoming a valuable resource for the marine industry.
“China for many years has been on the radar of marine industry businesses globally, either investigating opportunities to export to China, manufacturing in China, supporting infrastructure development or sourcing for supply chains from China,” GMBA says in a statement released to confirm Zwygart’s appointment. “China has been seen as a growth market and with the island province of Hainan off China’s southern coast looking set to play a key role in boosting leisure boating in the region, many GMBA clients continue to keep a watchful eye on this market.”
Zwygart is a former captain and chief engineer who has spent a large part of his life in Taiwan, Hong Kong, and China. Originally trained in the French Naval Academy, he served as an officer on both navy and merchant ships and captain on superyachts up to fifty meters. Zwygart moved to Asia in the eighties as a boatbuilder in Taiwan. As a dedicated professional with over 40 years of ocean and marine experience and a proven track record in management positions, he now specialises in the development, management and marketing of world-class international yacht marinas and yacht clubs.
In 2010, Zwygart moved to Sanya to build and act as general manager of operations of the Sanya Serenity Marina. The marina has been a host twice for the Volvo Ocean Race, as well as the Clipper Race and the youth world sailing championships. In 2018, Serenity Marina gained worldwide recognition by becoming the second yacht marina in the world to obtain the “5 Gold Anchors Platinum” accreditation from MIA. Zwygart stepped down in 2020 and now serves as a special consultant for Sanya Serenity Marina.
As an author and columnist Zwygart has published two books as well as many articles in Chinese and he is a prominent figure in China’s yachting and marine industry. He has been listed in Asia-Pacific Boating‘s ‘Ones to Watch in 2022’. In 2019, Godfrey was awarded the highest honour for foreign experts in China: the Chinese Government Friendship award. In 2020, Zwygart also received the ‘China green card’ for permanent residency in China.