Yacht Havens Group has appointed Rupert Wagstaff to its board of directors and promoted him to the newly created role of operations director.
Wagstaff joined the business in 2004 and has worked across a range of projects for the group for more than 20 years. He also played a significant role in developing Yacht Haven Quay Plymouth, described by the company as the UK’s first purpose-built dry stack marina.
Wagstaff has served as marina director at Lymington Yacht Haven since 2013, with responsibility for the marina’s operations and growth in occupancy and revenue. He also serves on the Council of The Yacht Harbour Association (TYHA), chairs the Lymington Harbour Advisory Board and is Yacht Havens Group’s Health & Safety Director.
From early 2027, Wagstaff will take up the operations director role, working with marina teams across the group on operational efficiencies, sharing best practice, customer experience and long-term performance. He will also join the Yacht Havens Group board of directors.
“I am delighted to be joining the board and taking on this role within Yacht Havens Group,” says Wagstaff. “At Lymington Yacht Haven I’ve been fortunate to work alongside an exceptional team and get to know so many customers, berth holders and industry colleagues over the years. I’ve been lucky enough to see first-hand the passion, expertise and commitment that exists throughout the business.
“As operations director, I look forward to working closely with our marina managers and haven teams to build on those strengths, support continued growth and ensure we continue delivering outstanding experiences for our customers across every location in the group.”
Yacht Havens Group was founded in 1972 with the opening of Lymington Yacht Haven. The family-owned business now owns and operates marinas in locations including Lymington, Plymouth, Troon and Largs, with more than 4,000 pontoon berths across the UK and Europe.
Dylan Kalis, managing director of Yacht Havens Group, says: “Rupert’s appointment reflects both his outstanding contribution to Yacht Havens over the past two decades and the depth of experience he brings to the business.
“He combines strong operational leadership with strategic insight, but what really stands out is his commitment to people, our local communities and the culture of the business. His success at Lymington Yacht Haven speaks for itself.
“As we continue to invest in our marinas and enhance the services we provide, Rupert will play an important role in supporting our teams and shaping the future direction of the group. We are delighted to welcome him to the board.”
Wagstaff’s move to the new role creates a vacancy for marina manager at Lymington Yacht Haven. Recruitment is underway for the position.
Lymington Yacht Haven has more than 600 fully serviced berths with full-tide access in the Western Solent. The site includes customer parking, boatyard services, a chandlery and convenience store, as well as electric vehicle charging. On-site businesses provide marine engineering, marine electronics, yacht maintenance and repairs, rigging, charter, brokerage and new boat sales.
Yacht Havens Group’s other sites include Largs Yacht Haven, Plymouth Yacht Haven, Troon Yacht Haven and Jachthaven Biesbosch in the Netherlands.
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