My Present
My name is Joshua Michael Lee. I am the Managing Director of Northrop & Johnson Thailand.
I’ve lived in Thailand since 1997 after sailing a 37’ yacht from Brisbane to Phuket. When I arrived, I realized that Phuket was a boating paradise. I decided to start a small yacht brokerage with the intent to serve the local expatriate community and grow and develop boating in Thailand.
Now, at the helm of Northrop & Johnson Asia as managing director, I use my exemplary yachting industry experience combined with my international business awareness, impressive network of clients and contacts, and impeccable work ethic to ensure nothing but a five-star experience for clients.
My Past
I left St Joseph's College Gregory terrace, one of the finest all-boys GPS schools in Australia, where I achieved a high-level HSC in 1991 and spent some time as master of 24m catamaran ferries between Airlie beach and the islands of the Whitsundays. I was in charge of seven crews and 120 passengers at age 19. During this time, I gained his USL Master 5 (1993/4) and got a lot of hands-on experience.
From 1995 to early 1997, I moved to Hong Kong (where my father was based as an airline captain) and began training with a financial wealth management firm called Global Oriental. With a good head for figures and business, I spent two years being taught in the complex world of derivatives trading before deciding to take a break and reconnect with my passion – sailing.
I sailed with some of the elite maxi racing yachts on the world circuit rubbing shoulders with former and current Whitbread and American sailors and owners.
My sales experience has grown with Lee Marine. It has taken the company from being a startup gamble in unknown territory to one of the leading yacht sales and service companies in SE Asia. He travels extensively and has visited most of Europe's significant shipyards and designers. He is currently managing the buyers’ interests in a new build, 69.5m Feadship that is due to be launched in 2018 and is known in SE Asia as one of the few people with experience with large yacht sales.
My Future
I am a career yacht broker, so I can see myself staying in the industry but refining my role. As a company, for years, we have concentrated on high volume and not enough on client retention and services downstream. Certainly, a much more rounded experience for any client is what they desire and with my experience now, I’m well placed to provide a unique level of service.
My Motto
What you put in is what you get out.
Never push a bad deal.
My Outside-office Life
That’s easy, lots of activity and travel. I have a long list of sports I like to participate in, and while I still can, that will always continue. I’m also a family man and an ex-pat, so my life has always involved a lot of traveling, which I enjoy very much.
Fast Facts
