There is an end of an era feel about it as John Braithwaite announces his retirement from Sunseeker International, the firm he started with his brother Robert.
After 53 hugely successful years with the organisation, John’s retirement has been timed to coincide with his 70th birthday celebrations this May.
His decision will mark the end of a significant time span for both the brand and the industry a-like
Iconic industry leader, John Braithwaite has made an enormous contribution to the marine business starting his career in 1964 at Friars Cliff Marine, which became Poole Powerboats in 1969 when it moved into the town of Poole and subsequently Sunseeker International in 1985.
Along with his brother, Robert Braithwaite, John has dedicated much of his life to the brand and steadfastly guided the in-house design team over the last five decades, with the clear ambition and vision to deliver the very best boats in the industry.
John was instrumental in the development of many revolutionary models, like the iconic Superhawk, the Predator 108 and more recently, our fastest selling model, the Manhattan 52.
As the company’s longest serving executive, John has also been a valuable source of inspiration and guidance for the current Sunseeker executive team.
John and Robert Braithwaite started with the desire to build ‘a new kind of boat’ at a time when there were no significant builders of boats for the sports and leisure markets in the UK.
From the launch of their first 17ft open-cockpit speedboat, to the development of the truly outstanding flagship 155 Yacht, John and his team of experienced designers and engineers have continued to set standards and break boundaries, and have truly spearheaded the industry of today – pioneering a whole new world of boating.
John has always remained true to building the very best in pleasure craft, utilising the latest technologies and delivering every customer’s dream. He will of course continue to be an important ambassador for the brand and we would all like to wish him a very well-deserved retirement.