Jonathan Beckett
Jonathan Beckett | |
|---|---|
| CEO of Burgess Yachts | |
| Assumed office 1992 | |
| Preceded by | Nigel Burgess |
| Personal details | |
| Born | Jonathan William Field Beckett 25 June 1957 Great Yarmouth, Norfolk, England |
| Education | Durham University (BA) |
| Occupation | Yacht broker |
Jonathan William Field Beckett (born June 1957) is a British yacht broker who has been chief executive of Burgess Yachts since 1992.
Early life and education
[edit]Beckett is originally from Great Yarmouth and spent his youth sailing on the Norfolk Broads.[1] His other passion growing up was rugby union.[2]
He graduated from Durham University in 1979 with a degree in General Arts.[3][4]
Career
[edit]Early career
[edit]Beckett first worked as a yacht broker in Athens with Halsey Marine.[2] He was hired by Burgess Yachts founder Nigel Burgess in 1981, with his first major sale being the $7.5 million Sara Blue in 1984.[5][1]
In 1987, Beckett brokered the sale of Nabila, originally owned by Saudi arms dealer Adnan Khashoggi, to Donald Trump.[6] The lucrative deal put Beckett "on map", though it surprisingly turned out to be one of the quicker sales of his career.[5] He "discreetly began informing the wealthy of the world" that the yacht was available for sale in June 1987; when Trump heard the news that September he "almost immediately" made an opening bid of $15 million in cash and eventually agreed to $30 million.[7] This was the most expensive purchase for a superyacht at the time.[6]
1992–present
[edit]Following Burgess's death during the 1992–1993 Vendée Globe in 1992, Beckett succeeded him as CEO and later became majority owner of the company.[8] He was president of the Mediterranean Yacht Brokers Association (MYBA) from 2000 to 2002, and has been president of the Large Yacht Brokers Association (LYBRA), of which he was a founding member.[1]
In 2009, Beckett completed the sale of the Maltese Falcon for close to the asking price after a year of negotiations.[9] He was the 2016 recipient of the Leadership Award from the International Superyacht Society.[1]
In 2024, Beckett relocated to Miami to oversee the development of the Burgess Americas operation.[1]
Personal life
[edit]Beckett is a keen sailor and owns the sailing yacht Agapi Mas, which he has used for summer cruising with family and friends. His other interests include tennis and watching rugby.[10]
References
[edit]- 1 2 3 4 5 "Jonathan Beckett". Burgess. Archived from the original on 14 August 2026. Retrieved 14 August 2026.
- 1 2 Byrne, Diane M. (1 May 2014). "Jonathan Beckett, Burgess: Leadership Series". Megayacht News. Retrieved 24 August 2026.
- ↑ Hockney, Karen (7 July 2015). "Burgess CEO and Charismatic Frontman Jonathan Beckett". OnboardOnline. Retrieved 8 July 2024.
- ↑ "Final Examination for the Degree of B.A. in General Studies". University of Durham Gazette. XXV: 48. 31 January 1980. Retrieved 25 August 2026.
- 1 2 Tovey, Alan (21 April 2019). "Burgess boss Jonathan Beckett on going from 'living on rice' to selling superyachts". The Telegraph. Retrieved 7 July 2024.
- 1 2 Kakar, Arun (7 May 2019). "Charting the rise of the superyacht with Burgess CEO Jonathan Beckett". Spear's. Retrieved 7 July 2024.
- ↑ Taylor, John (11 July 1988). "Trump's Newest Toy". New York. pp. 24–25.
- ↑ Borzykowski, Bryan (2 July 2016). "Inside the life of a yacht broker to the rich and famous". BBC Online. Retrieved 7 July 2024.
- ↑ MacLean, Malcolm (18 August 2009). "Maltese Falcon sold by Burgess". Boat International. Retrieved 25 August 2026.
- ↑ Fleming, Jack (27 April 2020). "Jonathan Beckett, the CEO of Burgess, on the Current State of the Yachting Industry". CSQ. Retrieved 24 August 2026.