An expanding business which matches superyachts with ‘below deck’ crew around the world has doubled the size of its headquarters in Southampton.
Global jobs board giant Yotspot, which has 90,000 people on its books, has increased workspace at serviced offices provider Ocean Village Innovation Centre (OVIC) in Ocean Village Marina.
The employment placement agency, which has been at OVIC since 2014, is ramping up operations following the hire of a managing director, Danielle McLaren.
Co-owner Daryl Bradley said: “As the leading jobs board in the luxury yachting industry internationally, our goal is to take Yotspot to the next level and underpin our competitive advantage.
“We’ve been at OVIC for eight years now and, with Danielle on board, the time was right to flex the office space up to meet future head office requirements for talented staff.”
Two other staff have also been appointed, one with a digital marketing remit along with a client relationship manager; other hires are planned.
Yotspot matches luxury yachts – chartered and owned – with crew, from the Caribbean to the Mediterranean and the South Pacific archipelago to the USA.
In the past 12 months alone 1,500 people have been placed, including up to 24 hours before a charter embarks.
Viewers of the popular Below Deck TV franchise will be familiar with the roles which come with servicing high net worth clients, from captain, bosun, chief steward and head chef to purser, engineer, cook and deck hand.
Launched in 2010 by Steve Crawford, Yotspot has seen 150,000 vacancies posted, with thousands of candidates vying to secure “life-changing dream jobs”.
Daryl said: “Yacht crew recruitment is big business, given the Instagrammable lifestyle of the rich and famous, and we are very much in a growth mode to deliver for our customers from all around the globe.”
As well as placements, the business provides training through internationally accredited courses, mentoring, mental health, social platforms and a 24/7 ‘one-stop-shop’ for all crew needs.
Stephen Deller, OVIC’s centre manager, said: “Yotspot has anchored here at OVIC since 2014 and it’s great to see the business increase its footprint on site, providing convenience and operational efficiency for the Yotspot team.
“Market research shows that the global luxury yacht market is on course to reach nearly $13 billion within nine years, compared to $5.8 billion in 2020, so there is clear growth factored in this buoyant sector. Against this backdrop, Yotspot is in a good position to capitalise on its expertise and reach.”
OVIC, which has 30,000 sq ft of serviced offices and meeting rooms, is run by Oxford Innovation Space on behalf of the building’s private owner.
