His tall figure has been a well-recognized presence around the typhoon shelter ever since he berthed his yacht alongside the Aberdeen Marina Club in Hong Kong almost 40 years ago. In those days, Mike Simpson was a one-man band, living aboard his boat, meeting fellow sailors and occasionally, over a beer or two, selling them a yacht. Now he heads one of Asia’s leading yacht sales, charter and management companies, with a team of almost 100 based in 12 locations across the region, from Singapore to Bali. And yet this freedom-loving Englishman had never intended to build a business at all.
Although Simpson says that he’s told his story several times, it’s a yarn well worth repeating. “If you want to start from the beginning,” he says, “I came to Asia to build a yacht for myself, in Taiwan, with the intention of sailing it around the world. For about 10 or 12 years before that, I’d been traveling in different parts of the world on foot and by boat, and I’d ended up in Greece running a yacht charter fleet.
“My girlfriend at the time was a keen sailor who’d helped to deliver a yacht back from Taiwan and told me what great boats they built there. In those days I wasn’t terribly impressed with the Taiwan-built sailing yachts I’d seen, which were clipper-bowed and heavily built, but one day a beautiful 46-foot, center-cockpit cutter sailed into Mandraki harbor in Rhodes, where I was working. I wandered over, introduced myself, and the owner showed me around – and it turned out that it was built in Taiwan.”
この記事は Prestige Singapore の October 2021 版に掲載されています。
7 日間の Magzter GOLD 無料トライアルを開始して、何千もの厳選されたプレミアム ストーリー、9,000 以上の雑誌や新聞にアクセスしてください。
すでに購読者です ? サインイン
この記事は Prestige Singapore の October 2021 版に掲載されています。
7 日間の Magzter GOLD 無料トライアルを開始して、何千もの厳選されたプレミアム ストーリー、9,000 以上の雑誌や新聞にアクセスしてください。
すでに購読者です? サインイン
Sailing Into A Dream
Scenes from the fantasy feature Game of Thrones come to life in the otherworldly landscapes of the Arctic Circle.
Here Come The Sun Seats
Italian furniture has long held the crown for blending luxurious, sophisticated design with impeccable craftsmanship.
ABSOLUMENT FAB
France's premier fair for fine-art and antiques returns for its third edition inside its new home in the Grand Palais.
Through the Director's Lens
Filmmaker JIA ZHANGKE and his protégé RAFAEL MANUEL share their perspectives on life, cinema and their current projects.
THE CUTTING EDGE
Having long played quiet supporting roles in the gem industry, gem cutters are finally having their day in the sun. Four acclaimed independent master gem cutters share more about their love of the craft and the creation of their best pieces.
Spheres of Power
Following up on the gold- and titanium-focused Tiffany Titan by Pharrell Williams launch collection, the superstar now turns to pearls for a softer, but no less striking, second act.
Horological Masterpieces Reimagined
Beyond the wrist, these timekeepers transcend all traditional boundaries.
WILD IMAGINATION
Cartier's latest category-spanning Panthère de Cartier novelties showcase the endless ways in which the panther continues to inspire.
READY FOR ACTION
The latest watch to come from the celebrated Richard Mille and McLaren partnership looks set to be another trailblazing timepiece.
THE RIGHT ANGLES
Twenty-five years after the launch of its last new collection, Twenty-4, Patek Philippe introduces the Cubitus range.