The pioneering brothers behind Sunseeker International were awarded the coveted Outstanding Achievement award at the 2018 Luxury Briefing Awards, held at The Savoy Hotel in London on Monday evening.
In recognition of a combined career spanning more than 100 years, Robert and John Braithwaite’s remarkable story is one of innovation, daring, perseverance and the unwavering desire to create the finest luxury performance motor yachts in the world.
Robert, who after leaving school at 15, dreamt of building a new kind of boat. He founded the early Sunseeker in 1969 and across more than four decades transformed the brand from a local boat distributor into a globally recognised brand and one of the largest superyacht builders in the world.
A true visionary of the luxury marine sector, Robert’s entrepreneurial strength drove the sales and marketing success globally, embracing a very public facing role.
When Robert’s younger brother John joined the business, he was immediately influential in the engineering and craftsmanship of the iconic Sunseeker designs. Together the pair started producing some of the world’s most innovative motor yachts, utilising the latest technologies and cutting-edge design but most importantly, listening to what customers wanted.
With a flair for award-winning design, John pioneered a new world of boating and he was instrumental in the development of many revolutionary models, including the Superhawk, the Predator 108 and more recently, Sunseeker’s fastest-selling model of all time, the Manhattan 52.
Together they have been the inspiration and the vision behind the pioneering nature of the business that has seen the brand produce a remarkable number of industry ‘firsts’, revolutionising the industry as a whole.
As Sunseeker has grown, so has the team surrounding Robert and John, now numbering more than 2,600 people. Contributing their many years of invaluable knowledge and experience, the founding brothers’ spirit of excellence has driven Sunseeker to its pre-eminent position in the leisure marine industry today.
Commenting on the award, Sunseeker Sales Director, Sean Robertson said: “This is a phenomenal award and one that both Robert and John richly deserve. They have contributed so much to the marine industry and what they have achieved is truly remarkable. Words alone frankly cannot describe their influence yet they are always the first to credit our employees and wider ‘family’. Sunseeker would not be the global brand it is today if it wasn’t for their never-ending passion and vision. This is core to the company’s DNA today, reflected in the global success of the brand, the incredible product range and our unwavering customer loyalty.”