Five minutes with Thea Wilsher

Thea joined Centtrip last year as Client Relationship Manager in our Marine team and we caught up with her to hear more about her journey from jazz singing to sailing and beyond.

Hi Thea, you have a wonderfully creative background as a jazz singer, band leader, songwriter and photographer. How did you get from singing to superyachts?

Well, I’ve always had a great love for music and art, but you need to be able to fund it. I loved doing my music and gigging around London, and I loved doing my photography at the same time, but I wanted something to give me some financial stability. My sister was involved in the industry and she suggested I join her at the Singapore Yacht Show. So, I went and I spoke to everyone about the industry – captains, chief stewardesses, stewardesses, deckhands, everyone. And they all said, do it, you’ll love it! It’s extremely hard work, but if you've got that work ethic and you've got the drive, then go for it. So, I did. And, I did; I loved it. I spent 10 years as chief stewardess on yachts from 30m to 90m, mostly motor yachts. I loved the excitement and the travel and being able to be creative in a different way.

And, what brought you from there to Centtrip?

After 10 years, I was looking for a new career challenge and, at the same time, I was missing my friends and family. I wanted more of a home-base, so I started looking around at land-based life. When friends heard about that, someone connected me with Centtrip. I had an interview with Steve Hubble [Head of Business Development] and with Jane Turner [CEO] and everyone seemed like really lovely people. You know when you just get a good vibe, you get a good energy about a place?

In your role as Client Relationship Manager, you look after Centtrip’s yacht clients. What do you think you bring from your life aboard to the new role?

One of the most important things I bring is a thorough inside knowledge of life onboard. I know how captains, crew and even owners think and I understand the intense environment of life onboard. You have so many curveballs thrown at you and you just need to keep a level head and find a solution. Having that experience helps build a connection with clients because they know I’ve been in the same situation. Also, I think, having survived 10 years of yachting life, I have a strong work ethic and all those transferrable skills you develop on a boat. If you can survive that, you can survive anything.

Did you use Centtrip during your time on yachts?

No, I mostly used ordinary cards. And cash, of course – every vessel has cash onboard. Both of those make it hard to keep track of expenses and the end-of-charter reconciliation becomes a nightmare. And with cash you have the added security risks and the problem of keeping hold of receipts. I knew about Centtrip, however. Friends on other yachts used it and had showed me its capabilities.

It’s been great to see, from the inside, how Centtrip is being developed with clients’ feedback in mind, especially the new Global platform. I’ve heard it so much: What else do you think the crew would need? What else could we possibly add that would make life easier?

I love that, because I wish that I had used something like that when I was on yachts – someone behind me going, “OK, I helped them even more,” instead of, “OK, how can we get more money out of them?”

Now that you’re on the “inside”, has anything surprised you in your interactions with clients?

What’s actually surprised me – especially as we’re at the height of preparing for the new season – is how positive the clients have been, even if you’re just answering a fairly simple query. On the whole our clients are very grateful and appreciative, and that's a really lovely thing to experience, especially when, I know, we’re dealing with such a tense, high-energy environment onboard. There is so much positivity and kindness back, and I think that reflects the relationship Centtrip has with its clients.

Thanks, Thea. That’s great to hear. Now, one last question. What do you like to do now you have some land-based, spare time?

I still love music. I still write and doodle along on the guitar. But I also love drawing and, at the moment, I’m loving doing pet portraits, so that’s my go-to pastime. Also, I’m a big gamer. I love The Witcher and Bioshock. And, when I get the time, I’ve loved horse riding since I was a little girl on my aunt’s farm. I try to squeeze in a bit of everything.

That sounds very busy, but fantastic. If people want to contact you, Thea, what’s the best way?

The best way is to email me at Thea.Wilsher@centtrip.com.

Thea, thanks for your time.