Tom has a long association with the marine industry having been an active sailor and student of boatbuilding in Southampton. His career has encompassed a wide range of market sectors and he has gathered experience of business development, marketing and distribution in an international business environment. A nine year period at the trade body for the leisure and superyacht sector was committed to developing the members’ export business. Recent career experience included distributor management for a marine equipment company before he joined SMI in February 2017 as the Business Development Director and Secretary to the Commercial Marine Group and Marine Science & Technology Group. Tom was appointed Chief Executive of the SMI in August 2020 and received an MBE in January 2023 for services to the maritime industry.