Burgess’ Millennial brokers delivering top results.
Published 25 April 2022
Industry’s brightest rising stars are the go-to brokers for some of the world’s most discerning clients
Burgess understands that the UHNW industry is on the cusp of a global change, and here to navigate that shift is the team of the future. For this new generation of yacht enthusiasts is a new generation of yacht brokers – some of the best and brightest who, while not long on years, are some of the most experienced with the market’s top clients. From navigating the demands of COVID-19 to keeping pace with the industry’s current boom, these rising stars have quickly become the go-to experts for a selection of the most sought-after clientele.
Meet the team of the future handling today’s top clients.
Q&As with the brokers
Chris Gregory
Age: 28
Time at Burgess: 7 years
No. of charters booked: Circa 200
Most expensive charter yacht booked: 130m+, EUR 6,000,000 total for a week
If you can name drop any clients - please do: No thanks.
Biggest achievement at work to date: The first broker to put a deal on the largest charter yacht in the world that is on open market.
Why you love working as a charter broker: Having grown up with yachting as a child, it doesn’t feel like a job, it’s my hobby! The interesting clients we get to meet from all over the world in all types of business, and not forgetting the seriously impressive assets themselves!
If you chartered a yacht, what would you do, who would take and where would you go: Either Island hopping around the Greek islands if I wanted some sun and beach clubs with friends! Or for an adventure down to the Antarctic to use submarines, heli-ops and to witness one of the remote places in the world filled with wildlife.
Your favourite place to travel to and why: Mallorca because the island itself is beautiful and perfect for yachting. I can either anchor off in a quiet bay in the sun or head to a party at a nearby beach club. Best of both worlds.
Best experience you have had and why: There’s nothing that beats being trackside at either the Monaco or Abu Dhabi Grand Prix on a superyacht. It is by far the best seat in the house.
Hobbies: Polo
Sailing yacht/Motor yacht? Motor
Dinner party/After party? Dinner
Beach break/City Escape? City
Snowboard/Ski bunny? Ski
Casual/Suited & booted? Smart casual
Real life/Metaverse? Real life
Paperback book/Podcast? Podcast
Champagne/Cocktail: Champagne or Beer
Catherine Miller
Age: 28
Time at Burgess: 4 years (feels like 10…in a good way)
No. of charters booked: 12 (not so impressive…but started on Jan 1, 2022, as a broker)
Most expensive charter yacht booked: EUR 300,000
If you can name drop any clients - please do: Sorry… what happens on charter stays on charter.
Biggest achievement at work to date: Booking a client back-to-back on a sailing yacht in Croatia immediately followed by a motor yacht in the Cyclades. Lots of logistics, playing with calendars, and matching the client to the yacht but this one felt good to pull together! Also doing a deep dive into cruising opportunities in the South Pacific, New Zealand and Australia was a huge project I worked on during COVID when few people could travel. This involved talking with local captains, agents, and other resources to create customised itineraries for each destination. Now I can’t wait to match the perfect client with a charter on this end of the world.
Why you love working as a charter broker: Selling the dream! I’ve yet to meet someone who isn’t fascinated by yachting and wants to learn more. Getting the right client on the right boat at the right time in the right destination is a puzzle (and I love puzzles). Knowing when a first-time charterer steps off the boat they’ll never go back to the old way of hotel hopping again is a great feeling.
If you chartered a yacht, what would you do, who would take and where would you go: Go somewhere that’s just not the same when you do it on land – Patagonia, Tonga, Antarctica, the Norwegian Fjords, even Croatia and Greece. These are destinations that a yacht really exemplifies the itinerary and gives you access to places you never could on land. I would take my most adventurous group of friends to make the most of watertoys, hikes, heli-skiing, meeting local communities and eating fresh food from the area.
Your favourite place to travel to and why: I live in New York City so really anywhere to escape the hustle and bustle is a great escape! If I had to pick one place, I’d say Ireland. My first-time visiting was when I was young with my grandfather who was able to tell us all about our ancestry and travel to visit our distant cousins. I returned to Galway for three months for study abroad in college followed by a reunion trip a few years back. The people, history, and of course, the craic, make you feel at home the moment you arrive.
Best experience you have had and why: Snowmobiling on a glacier in Iceland. Tied with hiking 21 miles for 15 hours up Mount Toubkal, the tallest mountain in Northern Africa – but I’m still hurting from that one!
Hobbies: Skiing, hiking, gardening, hosting, reading, traveling, cooking…
Sailing yacht/Motor yacht? Motor Yacht
Dinner party/After party? Dinner party
Beach break/City Escape? Beach break
Snowboard/Ski bunny? Ski bunny
Casual/Suited & booted? Casual
Real life/Metaverse? Real life
Paperback book/Podcast? Paperback book
Champagne/Cocktail? Champagne
Charles Jones
Age: 31
Time at Burgess: 3.5 years
No. of sales: USD 36,000,000 worth of yachts sold
Most expensive yacht brokered: 165ft yacht
If you can name drop any clients - please do: Afraid not, nice try though!
Biggest achievement at work to date: At the start of COVID I listed and sold a USD 10,000,000-plus yacht without the seller, buyer or buyer’s broker ever seeing the boat!
Why you love working as a charter/sales broker: I love the variety of yachting programs with every combination of owner, yacht and crew we experience. Every deal is new and interesting to say the least.
If you chartered a yacht, what would you do, who would take and where would you go: I’m choosing the yacht with the best dive gear and would plan on spending half my time underwater in The Bahamas with a few close friends!
Your favourite place to travel to and why: South of France has such a great summer vibe. Whether it’s party or rest, there is something there for everyone’s tastes.
Best experience you have had and why: Monaco Grand Prix is absolutely amazing. I’ve done it three times and even attended the Monaco Classic Grand Prix as well. It’s such a star-studded event, you never know who you will bump into!
Sailing yacht/Motor yacht? Motor
Dinner party/After party? After party
Beach break/City Escape? Both!
Snowboard/Ski bunny? Snowboard
Casual/Suited & booted? Causal
Real life/Metaverse? Real Life of course!
Paperback book/Podcast? Podcast
Champagne/Cocktail? Cocktail
Lotte Barker-Hahlo
Age: 28
Time at Burgess: 5.5 years (1 year as a charter broker)
No. of charters booked: 32 charters to date
Most expensive charter yacht booked: Total EUR 900,000
If you can name drop any clients - please do: Wish I could but under tight NDAs for this one.
Biggest achievement at work to date: Overcoming the difficult challenges, the last year has presented – last minute cancellations, COVID cases…
Why you love working as a charter/sales broker: The job is fast paced and there are always new and exciting challenges to face. It is very personable, meeting many interesting clients, captains, managers, crew etc. along the way. You are selling the most luxurious holiday in the world, unrivalled by anything else; and of course, you get to go on a superyacht every now and again so who wouldn’t love that…
If you chartered a yacht, what would you do, who would take and where would you go: I’d like to go somewhere further afield and do something adventurous staying on an explorer yacht. Perhaps see the Northern Lights, go heli-skiing on an untouched mountain, snowmobiling, scuba-diving – endless activities to do with an explorer.
Your favourite place to travel to (doesn't have to be on a yacht) and why: The Dolomites in Italy to go skiing. It seems to always be sunny, and you cannot beat the mountain restaurants and the Italian/Austrian food.
Best experience you have had and why: I went trekking through the jungle in Sumatra to see wild orangutans and camped in tree houses along the way before white-water rafting down the river to get back to the village at the end of the week.
Sailing yacht/Motor yacht? Sailing yacht
Dinner party/After party? Dinner party
Beach break/City Escape? Beach break
Snowboard/Ski bunny? Ski bunny
Casual/Suited & booted? Casual
Real life/Metaverse? Real life
Paperback book/Podcast? Paperback book
Champagne/Cocktail? Cocktail
Christiana Nicolaou
Age: 29
Time at Burgess: 6 years
No. of charters booked: 53
Most expensive charter yacht booked: 80m EXCELLENCE, listed at USD 1,300,000 per week
If you can name drop any clients: Nice try.
Why you love working as a charter broker: I’ve had clients say to me: 'I’m looking at yachts right now because it’s much more fun than working.' I feel very lucky to be able to do both. Designing a charter from start to finish is really cool, beginning first with finding the perfect yacht. Then, I have an immense amount of freedom in planning the itinerary as we have access to hidden anchorages and places only accessible by boat. I also love that I get to be a part of planning special moments in my clients’ lives – birthdays, graduations, weddings. They are creating core memories and no two charters are ever alike.
Your favourite place to travel to and why: My family is Greek, and I have strong ties to the Greek islands, particularly one island called Lemnos, just northeast of Athens. When I am there, I feel at home and it’s my favorite place to relax.
Best experience you have had and why: Cruising the Galapagos this past summer was a very special experience for me. The Galapagos are a land lost in time - volcanic landscapes, clear blue waters perfect for snorkelling and scuba diving, and rich with diverse wildlife.
Hobbies: Swimming, horseback riding, cooking
Sailing yacht/Motor yacht? Motor
Dinner party/After party? After party
Beach break/City Escape? Beach, always
Snowboard/Ski bunny? Snowboarding (poorly). But the effort is there.
Casual/Suited & booted? Casual
Real life/Metaverse? Real life
Paperback book/Podcast? Paperback
Champagne/Cocktail? Beer, really. But if I must choose it would be cocktail
Johnny Howe
Age: 31
Time at Burgess: 7 months
No. of charters booked: 2
Most expensive charter yacht booked: OASIS
If you can name drop any clients: Nope, sorry!
Biggest achievement at work to date: TBC soon – still to come!
Why you love working as a charter broker: Having worked as crew and worked hands-on with charters, I really enjoy planning every detail of the charter to ensure that the guests have the most memorable experience.
If you chartered a yacht, what would you do, who would take and where would you go: I would cruise the Greek Islands with my wife and daughter and a few of our closest friends.
Your favourite place to travel to and why: The Galapagos was the most unique travelling experience I have done and recommend it to a lot of my friends. Nothing compares to the variety of wildlife, landscape and diving.
Best experience you have had and why: Swimming with Humpback whales in Tonga.
Sailing yacht/Motor yacht? Sail Yacht
Dinner party/After party? After party
Beach break/City Escape? Beach Break
Snowboard/Ski bunny? Ski bunny
Casual/Suited & booted? Casual
Real life/Metaverse? Real life
Paperback book/Podcast? Kindle
Champagne/Cocktail? Cocktail
To find out more about Burgess’ yachts for sale and yachts for charter, please contact a Burgess broker. Alternatively, get in touch with one of our offices directly: London, Monaco, New York, Miami, Singapore or all other locations.