Geoff Fraser

Managing Director

Email: geoff@maritimeiq.net

Geoff Fraser is the creator and founder of Maritime IQ and an active member and leader in the maritime community since his youth. Geoff is a recognized expert in maritime business strategy having owned and operated a wide range of successful marine businesses around the world. He is known for finding and developing new business opportunities with an eye for short-, medium-, and long-term success while building a strong and lasting brand. Geoff is committed to supporting his clients and the maritime industry by sharing his strategies for success, his powerful international network, and straightforward approach to business.

Geoff began his career in top level yacht racing in the late 1970s. His success in yacht racing led to an invitation to race with the Farr Office, USA. While in the U.S. Geoff co-founded Kiwi Racing, a business to prepare grand prix yachts to race. 

As wealthy yacht owners sought to sell and upgrade their vessels, Geoff saw opportunity to offer services focused on properly managing those transactions. He established his first brokerage, San Francisco Yachts, where he adopted the American model: maintain contact with potential clients, use professional-quality messages and always, always maintain a strong brand. 

Upon returning to NZ, Geoff bought a successful Auckland brokerage and hired a professional marketing company. “Two smart things we did were brand marketing and finding creative ways to promote the product,” he says. This allowed his company to grow and adapt to current markets. 

With the America’s Cup coming to New Zealand in 2000, Geoff added a charter boat sector, commercial vessel sector, and a dedicated superyacht service operation to his brokerage, all operating under one, consistent brand message.

As a high-profile operator in the marine industry, Geoff was elected president of the Boating Industries Association, today’s NZ Marine Industry, which represents one of the world’s most respected marine industries. He was a major driver in the development of Auckland’s waterfront to attract and service superyachts coming to the America’s Cup. 

Geoff sold his Auckland brokerage in 2003, with a dramatically higher turnover than when he had bought it. His reputation and track record of brokering clean, successful sales in sensitive situations has made him the preferred broker with the New Zealand High Court, selling vessels due to forced sales. He and his team continue to serve the high court to this day.

Geoff later founded Workboats, now rebranded to SeaBoats, and has built it into one of the world’s fastest growing brokerages. It currently operates in 11 countries with brokers strategically positioned around the world. Through his years in the industry, Geoff has built a strong international network and developed a powerful 40,000-plus and growing database, managed by a dedicated SeaBoats team in the Philippines.

Geoff continues to be a leader and active member of the maritime industry in NZ and abroad. He and his family live in Christchurch.

Testimonial

Geoff Fraser has always accorded priority to my instructions and has impressed [us] with his energy and professional reporting on every occasion. In addition, he gets good results, a factor which various lawyers have remarked upon to me. My confidence in him has never wavered, and I recommend him to any party seeking his services.

Graham Ford, former registrar, Auckland High Court