Ocean Independence has appointed Thom Conboy as its President of the Americas, effective from February 1st 2015.
Conboy previously headed up brokerage company BYS and has brought with him his entire team, consisting of Michael Bach, Chris Collins, Julien Elfenbein, Teddy Garsva, and Cheryl Toney. Ocean Independence is expanding its presence in the Americas where Conboy will oversee the operation and all new business development.
Thom Conboy states: "My role is twofold - firstly to attract new listings to the company and I'm also very focused on the new construction area. Look out for some major announcements soon."
Conboy’s career in the superyacht industry spans more than 30 years, working in new construction and repair and refit of luxury yachts up to 90 metres long. He spent the 1980s working at Derecktor’s yard building both motor and sailing yachts before moving to Intermarine in Savannah in the 1990s. In the mid-1990s, he purchased the yard with a partner and proceeded to build it into the largest yacht facility in the USA, servicing some of the world’s biggest yachts.
Upon the sale of Intermarine to Palmer Johnson in early 2003, Conboy took over the sales and marketing of Heesen Yachts and was instrumental in taking the yard to the most successful five years in its 30 year history. In 2008, he joined International Yacht Collection and in 2010 moved to Merle Wood & Associates before joining BYS in 2013.