Lars Bjorklund, John Vitali and Debbie Gribble have come together to create an Ocean Independence office in Auckland, New Zealand.
Auckland is a city steeped in maritime history and considered by many to be one of the most advanced yachting centres in the Southern hemisphere.
The addition of a new OCI office there adds both a strategic location and an experienced local team to their worldwide network.
Lars, John and Debbie together offer three decades of experience in sales, charter, management and new construction and will continue to operate as Diverse Projects Ltd
But they will also dedicate their time and resources to looking after the growing number of OCI clients in the region and exploring new avenues for business.
Yacht broker Lars Bjorklund’s experience began with captaining charter yachts before creating his own sales and charter brokerage (BCR yachts) in the South of France. He then moved to New Zealand in 2007 where he formed a partnership with yacht manager John Vitali to create Diverse Projects Ltd.
John has raced thousands of ocean miles on maxi yachts and has built strong relationships with contractors and suppliers ensuring the success of the projects he manages.
Completing the trio is charter broker Debbie Gribble, a seasoned superyacht chief stewardess who brought her expertise ashore and has been organizing high-profile event charters and top class charter vacations as well as providing full shore support service for more than a decade.