Amsterdam, 21 June 2023 – Industry leader Knut Frostad, marketeer Alice Driscoll and environmental consultant Peter Franklin are joining the panel of subject matter experts who will assess the anticipated largest yet field of entries for the IBI METSTRADE Boat Builder Awards for Business Achievement, in association with Raymarine.
The new appointees join the highly experienced team of Motor Boat and Yachting editor Hugo Andreae, boat designers Davide Cipriani and Klaus Röder, Batliv Chief Editor Lars-Ake Redeen, Neptune magazine editor Michel Luizet and IBI North America correspondent, Craig Ritchie.
Knut Frostad first came to prominence within the marine sector as an Olympic sailor and then professional skipper on the Whitbread and Volvo Ocean round the world races before becoming CEO of the Volvo Ocean Race in 2008. He also joined the board of the Navico Group in 2005 and served as its CEO between 2019-2022 as the business transitioned into its acquisition by Brunswick. Frostad is a graduate of the Oslo Business School and has regularly featured as a speaker across Europe and the US on the topics of management, teams and personal development. He brings to the Boat Builder Awards a wealth of business and marine sector experience across many fields.
Alice Driscoll has over 30 years expertise in the marine industry and founded ADPR, a global communication, marketing and PR agency working for a portfolio of global clients in the marine leisure and commercial sectors. She served as a Council member with the RYA (the UK’s national governing body), prior to joining the Board of British Marine where she was instrumental in setting up the Futures Project encouraging new participants into the watersports sector. After a successful company management buy-out, Alice now provides high-level strategic communication, PR and marketing advice to international businesses and marine events. She actively maintains her interest in nurturing others into boating as an active RYA dinghy and powerboat instructor and keen offshore and dinghy sailor.
Peter Franklin’s entire life has revolved around the marine world. Born into a family of Thames Watermen and qualified as a boat builder, he pursued a career in marine technical management before becoming publisher and editor of the Mediterranean-based Islander boating magazine, and later Sustainability Content Provider for METSTRADE where he led on many important environmental topics. Based in the Netherlands, Peter spends the summers on board his motor yacht, and continues to pursue his lifelong passion for ocean conservation and environmental sustainability.
“With our greatest yet number of categories to judge, we wanted to bring additional experience and knowledge into the panel this year” comments Ed Slack, Editorial Director of IBI and chair of the judges. “Alice, Knut and Peter will substantially add to the already large pool of knowledge that we have available in our valued judging panel. The competencies of our jury highlight the very strong emphasis we have placed on the key issues facing our industry – environment, technology, innovation, growing our customer base and talent recruitment and retention.
Boat Builder Awards 2023 Judging Panel
Hugo Andreae – Editor Motor Boat and Yachting magazine, UK
Davide Cipriani – boat and industrial designer, president of yacht design at Centrostiledesign, Italy
Alice Driscoll – marketing and communications consultant
Peter Franklin – ocean conservation and environmental sustainability consultant
Knut Frostad – board member Monte Rosa Sport / Odlo International AG / Henri Lloyd
Michel Luizet – Editor Neptune magazine, France
Lars-Ake Redeen– Chief Editor Batliv magazine, Sweden
Craig Ritchie – North America Correspondent, IBI magazine, USA
Klaus Röder – yacht designer at Carpe Diem Yacht Design, Germany
Ed Slack – (chair) – Editor of IBI Magazine, UK
The panel is supported by a non-voting secretary, Kim Hollamby of Hollamby Partnership, UK.
Nominations now open
Awards will be presented in 11 categories – three of which are new for 2023 with additional important emphasis placed on innovation, people, and the environment.
The Boat Builder Awards is free to enter. You can nominate on your behalf or send in entries for companies or people who you think deserve recognition. Nominations are via a simple to use online form and open now until 22 September. To ensure judges have maximum time to evaluate entries, businesses are encouraged to submit their nominations as soon as possible.
Full details of the 11 award categories and how to nominate are available at www.ibinews.com/bba2023.
Gala dinner
Be sure to save the date, Thursday 16 November, for the 2023 Boat Builder Awards for Business Achievement, jointly run by IBI and METSTRADE, in association with Raymarine. This gala dinner and celebration of achievement will be held in the historic and atmospheric star canopy covered courtyard of Amsterdam’s National Maritime Museum.
About IBI
International Boat Industry (IBI) is the leading business-to-business magazine and website covering the global recreational marine trade. The magazine and its related Daily Newsletter are received by over 22,670 professionals in the industry.
About METSTRADE
METSTRADE is the world’s largest trade exhibition for equipment, materials and systems for the global leisure marine industry. Organised by RAI Amsterdam in cooperation with ICOMIA (International Council of Marine Industry Associations), METSTRADE’s target audience includes yacht builders, naval architects, refit yards, distributors, dealers, wholesalers, captains, marina owners and marine equipment manufacturers worldwide.
In 2023, METSTRADE will be held from Wednesday 15 to Friday 17 November, celebrating its 35th anniversary. Since the existence of METSTRADE in 1988, the show has always been from Tuesday to Thursday. This one-time change in days is to ensure that there will be sufficient build-up time for all exhibitors, as the RAI halls have a very full calendar this autumn.
About Raymarine
Raymarine makes high-performance marine electronics for the recreational boating and light commercial marine markets. With a legacy of marine navigation technology spanning over 80 years, Raymarine products are renowned today for their ease-of-use, rugged design, and reliability. We are continually innovating to deliver best-in-class sensors and intelligent navigation systems - making boaters’ time on the water safer and more fun. Our range of marine electronics is available through a global network of dealers and distributors.
WE’RE SWITCHING IT UP!
In 2023, METSTRADE will be held from Wednesday 15 to Friday 17 November.
Since the existence of METSTRADE in 1988, the show has always been from Tuesday to Thursday. This one-time change in days is to ensure that there will be sufficient build-up time for all exhibitors, as the RAI halls have a very full calendar this autumn.
Contact info
For more information about METSTRADE, please contact Eva van de Pol, Brand Marketing Manager, +31 643427014, e.vd.pol@rai.nl