Charles is a qualified yacht insurance manager, brokering tailored insurance policies for clients’ yachts, and Director of Burgess Yachting Financial Services. He heads up Burgess’ insurance division and made Partner in 2019.
Prior to joining Burgess in 2013, Charles worked as an auditor for Deloitte’s Insurance and Investment department, before specialising in insurance brokerage for high-net-worth-individuals. In his role today, he marries technical knowledge and expertise with a grounded approachability. He prides himself on nurturing client relationships, working collaboratively across departments to generate cross-selling incentives and drive new leads.
‘Burgess is the only yacht brokerage house that has an embedded FCA regulated insurance brokerage, which means clients benefit from our in-house expertise, tailoring the policy tightly to a client’s needs rather than accepting the ‘norms’ of the insurance industry and what an underwriter wants to impose upon them,’ he says. ‘I enjoy the process of gradually leading a client through the decision-making process. Developing long-term relationships and strategy for both individual yachts and the insurance market is a core element of my role.’
In the decade since joining Burgess, Charles has grown the department to a multi-million-pound turnover now employing over 10 staff, comprising claims handlers and insurance brokers. His strength lies in delivering personalised insurance plans that are competitively priced and best suited to clients’ individual needs, bolstered by his direct to market approach and decision to take Burgess’ claims handling and delivery of service in-house.
Charles is a seasoned sailor, having taken part in offshore racing and Tall Ships Regattas in his youth. He is also a highly accomplished yacht captain who spent two years sailing the world taking in the North Atlantic, Caribbean and Icelandic Arctic Circle. He is an active member of the Royal Thames Yacht Club, was a founding board member and treasurer of the London branch of Young People in Yachting (YPY) and enjoys regatta racing with the Royal Thames and Royal Ocean Racing clubs.
