Marine Trades Association

Incoming Chair of the Marine Trade Association, Ben Taylor is the Founder/Director of Taylor Media and a recognised industry figurehead, having built an international network of influential leaders across the global boating sector.

Through keynote speaking and presenting roles, Ben creates compelling influencer marketing content, driving brand engagement across major marine events and platforms.

His work spans collaborations with organisations like METSTRADE, ICOMIA, and many of the world’s leading shipyards, boatbuilders, and supply chain brands. Ben has sat on the MTA committee since 2021 with a particular involvement in communications and events. 

Amy joined British Marine in 2020 as the Association Executive in the membership team. Amy has come from a substantial career in customer service, project management and account management, with a childhood and early adulthood background in leisure boating and sailing with the Sea Cadets. In 2024, Amy was promoted to Association and Membership Manager after developing knowledge and experience during her time as Association Executive, and Interim Senior Membership and Association Executive.

Amy is responsible for overseeing the administration and communications for the membership team and managing several of British Marine’s membership associations and their events.

• British Marine Trades Association
• British Marine Boat Retailers and Brokers Association
• British Marine South and Isle of Wight
• British Marine Boatbuilders Association
• British Marine East Anglia
• British Marine North
• British Marine Wales

Amy also has excellent skills with reporting and witchcraft (or so it seems) with Microsoft Excel, as she loves to experiment and learn new techniques to make every day smarter and better than the day before. Amy’s real passion for her job comes from her love of helping people and giving the best service she can.

In her own time, Amy loves to tinker with textiles arts, from crochet to sewing, embroidery and sometimes even upholstery. She spends a lot of time with her friends, her fiancé and her rescue dog, Boycie.

Read Amy's full story here.

Suzanne Blaustone is CEO of Barton Marine Equipment Ltd, which manufactures deck equipment for sailing yachts in Whitstable Kent.

Suzanne moved to the UK in 1997 following manufacturing positions in the steel industry and chemical resins industries in the US. 

She has served on the MTA committee for 5 year’s.

Alastair Clayton is the MD & owner of both Seaglaze and Houdini Marine who manufacture bespoke windows & doors in Norfolk for the marine & allied industries.  Whilst Alastair is just joining the MTA Committee he has been involved with various British Marine committee’s over the years and is following in father’s footsteps who has also previously served on the MTA committee.

Joining Advance Yacht Services in July 2022, Rob has stepped up to Managing Director in January 2023. He leads a small team in Romsey, Hampshire importing and distributing marine systems equipment: Paguro and Westerbeke generators, Frigomar air conditioning, Dessalator watermakers,  Cristec power management equipment and Remoran hydrogenerators. Advance Yacht Systems sells to boat builders, trade installers and the general public.

With a degree in microelectronics & software engineering, Rob worked with large high tech industry players in a senior role for many years, subsequently gaining a second degree in business management (MBA).  He then spent 18 years heading, managing, and financing small businesses. With an understanding of technology and a firm grasp of business management and accounting, Rob brings to Advance Yacht the skills to form strategy, manage the process and get directly involved in the daily functions, along with new energy and enthusiasm for the business. 

Rob is a keen yachtsman, regularly racing his J109 in the Solent and cross channel.

Kim has a broad range of board and managerial level experience and knowledge in marine, tech and education businesses ranging from 2-2000 people. Within the marine industry he is best known as the former editor of Motor Boats Monthly, group editor of IBI, publisher of ybw.com and digital development director for Time Warner in the UK. These days he has his own business consultancy, Hollamby Partnership, serves as a non-exec director for two marine companies, edits and produces British Marine magazine and serves as the non voting secretary for the world renowned DAME Awards and the IBI METSTRADE Boat Builder Awards, among other credits

Jeff Batchelor is a director at Deep Blue Systems Ltd which supplies Cloud Based software Dealer Management Systems to the Automotive, Retail and Marine industries that covers invoicing, parts and equipment stock management including boats, outboards, inboards, personal watercraft and workshop management. 

After completing an Engineering and business management degree Jeff spent 8 years working for BMW UK as a graduate trainee and dealer standards manager where he also completed an Executive MBA.

Since 2007 Jeff has been working at Deep Blue Systems Ltd and due to his passion for boating has been working with various marine manufacturers, suppliers and their dealer networks to support the marine industry.

Jeff has served on the MTA for a year now and is a keen boater and enjoys spending time on the water with family and friends in and around the Solent where he can be found most weekends. 

Emma York is a social media trainer, digital marketing consultant and owner of Fresh Approach Digital, specialising in the leisure marine industry. As past MTA Chair, Emma has served as part of the MTA Committee since 2014 and is a passionate advocate for marine industry networking, education and training