AAS: You have been working in the marine industry for around 20 years. What other roles have you held in that time, and which are your highlights?
PB: I started my journey in the industry as a sales manager covering the Asia Pacific region for Jeanneau and Prestige. It was a mix of opening new Asian markets where boating was not yet on the map, as well as growing the presence in more mature markets in Australia and New Zealand. I eventually led the Beneteau Group regional headquarters in Hong Kong, and then moved to France to head the Jeanneau brand for four years. I love that there is never a normal day in this industry, and it gets you to discover beautiful places and meet amazing people!
AAS: You joined Highfield Boats as CEO last September. How have your first months in the job gone?
PB: Highfield is a relatively young business, but it is growing fast. I am blessed to work with a passionate team that enjoys what they do. There is a shared feeling of building something unique, and improving what we do every day. This passion for the brand is shared by our extended family of distributors. My role is to bring structure in a growing organisation, and shape the next phase of growth. It is exciting, and time flies!
AAS: With tens of thousands of sales over the past 15 years, what are the future plans for Highfield Boats?
PB: We will continue to serve three markets: yacht tenders, leisure RIBs and professional RIBs. We see numerous opportunities to reach more boaters by expanding our product offer and staying true to our DNA of building high quality boats with deep-V hulls that offer superior handling. The introduction of the ADV range is one example of diversification strategy that opens a new chapter for Highfield.
AAS: For those looking to go electric this year, what does Highfield Boats have to offer?
PB: Our tenders are compatible with many electric outboard engine brands and there is an increasing number of options today on the market. A growing portion of our clients are now opting for electric propulsion. For leisure RIBs, we offer our Sport 660 with Flux Marine electric outboard engine; it is a great package. We also work on integrated electric propulsion on service RIBs for professional users, so we cover quite a lot of use cases with electric alternatives and will continue to explore this as technology evolves.
AAS: What do you see as the biggest challenges facing the marine industry at the moment?
PB: The marine leisure market is a very cyclic market, so the ups and downs have always been part of the game. The boom in demand during the pandemic followed by inflation has led to a particularly difficult market over the last two years, but I would say the real challenge is more long-term: how can we ensure boating remains relevant for new generations that are pulled into a variety of leisure and other distractions, and less keen to commit to a single passion? Our mission is to make sure boating remains simple and accessible.
AAS: Which boat shows will Highfield Boats be exhibiting at this year?
PB: Through our direct presence or through our distributors, we attend pretty much every boat show around the world, probably more than a hundred a year. So it is easy to find us!
AAS: Highfield Boats are so versatile, from fishing to assisting in the start of the Vendée Globe. Is there still a place or application you would like to see a Highfield RIB used for?
PB: The RIB is indeed the most versatile platform; it offers a very safe and dry ride for a high number of passengers. It is very reassuring for new boaters, and at the same time is ideal in the most demanding conditions. Our ADV range is a new application, keeping the distinctive style and handling of a RIB, while offering more luxury and usable cruising space. This will open new markets for Highfield. There is also a vast field of applications in the professional market where we are growing constantly thanks to the versatility of our patrol range built in aluminium.
