Aged 33, Marcus Hamilton became the CEO of New Zealand-based marine coatings leader Propspeed in 2023. Growing up in New Zealand, Hamilton has always loved the water and says he was fortunate to combine his love for the ocean with a career. Before joining Propspeed, Hamilton was based in marketing at Fusion Entertainment, which Garmin latterly acquired – a role he says shaped his view of business culture, strategy and growth.
“My first truly formative role was as the international marketing manager for Fusion Entertainment/Garmin,” he explains.
“Leading marketing initiatives across global markets, I had the opportunity to build and lead a team from scratch. Together, we launched key product lines like the Signature Series and Apollo Series, as well as the Fusion University. It was a fast-paced, high-growth period that taught me how vital culture, clarity of vision, and operating with urgency are to success. One of the biggest takeaways was understanding how a united, passionate team can consistently punch above its weight on the global stage.”
Moving from Garmin to Propspeed, Hamilton relocated to the US to take on the role of VP sales & operations Americas for Propspeed in a step Hamilton characterises as both “personally and professionally defining”.
“Leaving my life in New Zealand to take on a new challenge required courage, adaptability, and grit,” he says. “The experience strengthened my commercial acumen and deepened my resilience. It also
gave me a renewed sense of purpose – showing me what’s possible when you push beyond comfort zones and lead with both drive and authenticity.
“It was during this time I found my stride in developing and executing growth strategies. My favourite advice from my mentor at the time was ‘don’t do good by stealth’. This is embedded into my philosophy.”
Propspeed’s story began in 1999 when founder Guy Jacobsen needed to find a solution to protect his running gear from the fouling growth on his fishing boat in the Bay of Islands, New Zealand. With nothing on the market, Jacobsen set about developing what would become the marine industry’s leading foul-release coating system. Today, Propspeed is an industry leader in foul-release coatings, and still remains family owned. It recently launched the Foulfree Multi-Surface System and Like A Pro toolkit, adding to its considerable product offering.
Headquartered in Auckland, New Zealand, the company now has warehouses in the USA and the Netherlands, and distribution channels in over 60 countries and recently celebrated its
25th anniversary.
Becoming CEO
Before taking the reins as CEO of Propspeed, Hamilton says he “fine-tuned his approach to business transformation” in his role as Propspeed’s international sales & business improvement director.
“It was a bridge between operational execution and executive leadership. The biggest insight from this phase was the importance of alignment, not just in strategy, but in values.
“When I was later approached about becoming CEO, I knew the decision had to be grounded in shared vision and mutual trust. That clarity gave me the confidence to step into the role with purpose and direction.”
Hamilton says one of the best devices he uses to lead in the current political climate, is to cut through the noise and hone in on the brand’s DNA.
“In an environment shaped by ongoing economic uncertainty and geopolitical complexity, we remain focused on what matters most: delivering consistency, clarity, and confidence to our customers and partners.”
“We recognise that many in the marine industry are navigating supply and demand pressures, cost volatility, shifting regulations and trade expectations. In response, we’ve put a strong strategy in place with key triggering points, backed by capable leadership and a clear focus on what we can control.”
Tumultuous 2025 for marine trade
While recent lack of consistency in US trade policy is impacting the industry at large, the broader impact, Hamilton says, is that investors are becoming more cautious and holding off on decisions until
there’s greater confidence.
“I can’t predict what’s coming, but I’ve learned the power of cutting through the noise. Stay focused on the market signals that truly matter to your business. Keep a long-term horizon in your strategy and decision-making, while anchoring your actions in what you can control right now. That mindset helps you move forward with clarity and intent, rather than burning energy, resources, and momentum in reactive loops, over-analysis, or decision paralysis.
“We remain optimistic with a strong strategy in place, good leadership to execute it, and a clear focus on the things we can control,” he says.
Propspeed: a focus on exports
The Propspeed team has navigated the drawbacks of its New Zealand HQ being relatively distant to some of the company’s core markets. Growing its network and improving its operational processes has been key.
Today the company is working on optimising efficiency across its business and expansion in north America and Europe.
“Right now, we’re focused on building the infrastructure to support long-term growth,” says Hamilton. “A key focus is the continued optimisation of our supply chain. To strengthen our operational capabilities, we’ve created a new head of operations role and brought in experienced leadership to optimise technology, drive efficiency and build resilience.
“We’ve appointed a new VP of sales & operations for the Americas, Jim Bandy. This strategic hire is aimed at accelerating growth across the US by strengthening support for our teams and partners, expanding market share, and unlocking new opportunities.
“A key focus will be driving a dedicated strategy to grow our presence in the American commercial marine sector,” Hamilton explains.
In fact, Propspeed has been developing its commercial division globally since its launch over five years ago. Through the leadership of EMEA sales director, Davide Burrini, the company is increasing strategic partnerships, third party data driven product validation, and aligning more closely with the sustainability and performance goals of commercial operators.
Hamilton adds: “Our focus here is aimed at positioning us as a trusted energy saving technology for the commercial maritime industry, as they look to meet a variety of efficiency, sustainability and decarbonisation goals.”
Growth markets: Europe
Hamilton says that while the company holds a strong market position in the United States (US), Europe continues to display an increased emphasis on sustainability with a multitude of environmental and performance goals across many different sectors, including marine. This offers increased opportunity for growth in Europe for Propspeed.
“Foul-release coatings play a proven role in aiding vessel owners and operators meet those goals and regulations,” he adds. “In addition to our established key European markets, we’ve recently identified niche opportunities in Croatia, Cyprus, Greece and Slovenia, where we have developed, and will continue to build, successful partnerships.”
He also notes significant growth potential in the GCC region, supported by the recently signed free trade agreement between New Zealand and UAE. Propspeed plans strategic investments to support this.
Making the tough calls
Authenticity is a theme Hamilton circles back to often – and it’s a driving force behind his leadership as Propspeed’s CEO.
“The hardest mistakes to address are the ones that hold up a mirror to your character. The ones that require deep personal reflection, behavioural change, and the courage to confront parts of yourself as a leader that need to evolve.”
Hamilton says some of the most difficult decisions he’s had to make have involved people and partners at Propspeed.
“Whether it’s restructuring a market, ending a partnership or reorganising teams, these are always emotionally challenging moments to navigate.
“On reflection, though, the decision itself often isn’t objectively difficult if the input data is accurate and a clear vision is present. What makes it hard is the initial conversation and the emotional complexity of the change management process that follows.
“In the majority of these tough situations, with time and the right approach, the outcome has been positive for all parties. In my experience, effective change management hinges on accurate, objective input data; fair and reasonable benchmarks for evaluation; clear communication; and most importantly, integrity from start to finish,” he explains.
Leadership lessons
Today’s business environment requires fresh thinking and fresh approaches, something Hamilton is open to. “As leaders, we must bring vision, motivation, and drive through our actions, not our position.
“I believe true leadership is the ability to energise others toward a shared mission. Passion is one of the most powerful forces we can harness to achieve this – it unites teams, inspires partners, and attracts customers. When cultivated, it creates a cultural tipping point where passion breeds energy, energy turns into momentum, and momentum drives the organisation forward with a powerful velocity. In any business, not everyone can share your vision or level of motivation though.
“The hard truth I’ve come to learn is that not everyone has the same capacity for sustained intensity. As leaders, we often set the tone with our personal pace, resilience, and drive, and assuming others can – or should – operate at the same level is a dangerous oversight.
“Leadership requires not just vision, but awareness of the capacity of those around us, and of the responsibility we carry to protect their wellbeing,” says Hamilton.
“If we fail to recognise this, if we fail to hold up a mirror to our own role in this, we risk creating a culture that burns bright but burns out. Sustainable success lies in knowing when to push, when to pause, and how to lead in a way that uplifts without overwhelming.”
It’s critical, Hamilton says, to make the commitment to model actionable change and “respect your team’s non-working hours, embed additional rest days beyond standard annual leave into your policies, and openly communicate when you’re stepping back to recharge. When leaders normalise recharge, they create permission for others to do the same, and that’s where true cultural shifts begin.”
In practice, Hamilton points to staff retention and development as a reflection of Propspeed’s success
in this area.
“Retaining and developing talent remains a top priority. This commitment is reflected across the business, from my own journey starting as VP of sales & operations Americas and now serving as CEO, to our technical manager who began as a product development chemist, our EMEA technical sales manager who started as the Italian sales manager, and our production supervisor who began on the shop floor – just to name a few.”
The Propspeed CEO also points out the diversity within the workforce – citing that currently 43 per cent of his team are women and the workforce represents ten nationalities.
“Looking ahead,” says Hamilton, “the marine industry needs to continue addressing the skills gap by creating more pathways into the sector, whether through apprenticeships, hands-on training, or greater visibility of career opportunities.”
Given a magic wand, Hamilton says he would accelerate two things in the marine industry; the industry’s transition to more sustainable practices without compromising on performance, and increasing accessibility to future generations.
“On the environmental side, I’d fast-track global collaboration on consistent sustainability standards, giving businesses the clarity and confidence to invest boldly in cleaner, more efficient solutions.
“And, I’d make marine careers more accessible and appealing, especially to younger generations. There’s incredible opportunity in this industry, from cutting-edge technology to meaningful contributions to ocean health, but we need to tell that story better and create pathways for people to enter and grow within the sector.
“The future of our sector depends on both: having the right technologies in place and the right people to drive them forward.”
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