
Jasper Smith
Chairman & Founder
Jasper is a seasoned and successful entrepreneur, founder and chairman of a number of companies in the games, technology, finance and engineering sectors including; PlayStack, PlayJam, Arksen and Vala Capital. Jasper has spent a lifetime adventuring at sea and on land. He sailed from Sydney to Alaska, via Kamchatka in Russia and climbed all of the major volcanoes along the way.

Sophie Damman
Founder
Sophie is an accomplished designer who has a passion for the oceans and their conservation, starting Arksen to encourage a new wave of scientific philanthropy.

Ewan Hind
Chief Operating Officer
Ewan has 25 years of commercial experience gained across a range of marine industry sectors. He is a qualified chartered engineer, naval architect and large yacht captain, and with over 100,000 sea miles including circumnavigating under sail, has a wealth of operational knowledge.

Asker Fawmy
Chief Financial Officer
Asker is a qualified accountant with 15 years of experience in business partnering, financial leadership and project management roles. Asker has in- depth knowledge of statutory accounts, taxation, equity and property funds, corporate finance and risk management.

Jim Mair
Technical Director
With a background in the design and production of commercial vessels, built to operate in harsh environments, Jim will oversee the technical development of Arksen vessels; from conception through to delivery and beyond.

Olly Hicks
Executive Director – Arksen Philanthropy
Drawn to the sea from a young age, the fascination with what lies beyond the horizon and a dream to row across the Atlantic from the age of 13 which he realized aged 23 – he now seeks to push the boundaries of ocean adventure & human endeavor even further.

Dominic Byrne
Sales & Marketing Director
Dominic has over 25 years’ experience in the luxury marine and data communications industries, providing hands-on leadership to sales and marketing teams and building out businesses both domestically and on the international stage. An adventurer by nature, he has lived abroad and travelled extensively. His passions include Rugby, Ski mountaineering and sailing.

Eleanor Briggs
Head of Marketing & Creative
Eleanor is a highly experienced marketing professional with a background in the UK luxury marine sector. With a passion for the outdoors, Eleanor uses her Masters in Global Marketing to help connect adventurers with their dreams of crossing the globe by sea.

Donald Hung
Digital Marketing Lead
Donald has a decade of experience in the digital design and marketing industry. With a passion for creative design enriched him with a unique perspective, conducting UX research to feed into marketing strategy, delivering stunning, customer-centric marketing campaigns.

Matthew Morgan
Client Project Manager
Matthew has over 30 years’ of project management, and extensive experience in yacht-building and yard management for a number of high profile yacht-building companies in Asia and Europe. In his spare time, Matthew and his family use a Seaward 23 motor yacht to explore locally, and together with his wife manage a number of rental properties both in the UK and New Zealand.

Rob Vankalsbeek
Technical Project Manager
Chartered Engineer, Rob, has over 20 years experience working in the marine industry, primarily in yacht-building, but also on commercial vessels and defence contacts.
His projects have involved custom-new-builds, small series and refits in a number of different countries. Prior to his shore-based work, Rob had been sailing for 10 years on private yachts and commercial sailing vessels.

George Johnson
Project Engineer
After obtaining a degree in naval architecture, George joined a large global marine consultancy, working from offices in Southampton, London and Singapore. In his role as a project engineer, George works with the technical team to produce 3D models and 2D drawings of various parts of the boats from standard features to specific customer requests, liaising closely with Arksen’s design and build partners. With a love of the outdoors, George enjoys competitive sailing, rock climbing and cycling.

Samantha Maybury
Designer
Samantha is a designer, passionate about sustainable living, and the development of sustainability in design with the manufacture of yachts and innovative products. Since graduating Product Design Engineering with honours, Samantha has worked in the marine industry for the past four years, and brings a wealth of ideas and creative thinking to Arksen. In her spare time, she enjoys 3D printing and riding her homemade eBike.

Marcus Munt
Sales Manager – Explorer Series
Marcus has worked in the marine industry for over 17 years, and understands the importance of client needs, working with them to realise their vision, and leveraging his large network of industry and complementary contacts to provide more holistic solutions. Marcus has a passion for travel and has sailed to Russia and explored glaciers in New Zealand. He also enjoys skiing, rugby, motorsport and has taken part in several car rallies around Europe and North Africa.
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James Harris
Sales Manager – Adventure Series
As Sales Manager of the Adventure Series, James leans on his 20+ years of experience in the marine industry to help owners get the most out of their boats. James was a professional racing sailor for 10 years before moving into sales for major yachting brands. James loves to travel and has lived and worked in South America and Australia. He enjoys sailing, rugby, NFL and plans to learn SUP/wing foiling.
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Rosie O’Donnell
Event & Boat Show Coordinator
Rosie is a highly competent project manager with a taste for adventure, born from a childhood raised in Canada and Arabia, Rosie has crossed the Atlantic 5 times circumnavigated the globe, she is a qualified yacht rigger and sailor, which contributes to her extensive knowledge of the marine industry.