Superyacht brokerage firm Burgess is celebrating its 50th anniversary today (13 March). The company was founded in 1975 by renowned sailor Nigel Alyn Burgess, who began Burgess – then Nigel Burgess Limited – in a tiny studio apartment above a Jamaican restaurant in London.
"Nigel's wife, Verity Burgess, was the only (unpaid) employee," said CEO Jonathan Beckett. "It cost £25,000 a year to run the business – including salaries, rent, telephones, advertising, travel and insurance."
The brokerage firm has grown exponentially in the years since, advancing from their first boat sold (priced at £35,000) to representing both buyer and seller in 2024's largest superyacht sale – Lürssen's 90.2-metre Phoenix 2, asking €124.95 million.
And while Burgess still has a London office, the firm has expanded its reach to 18 offices across the globe, including sites in Monaco, Dubai, Aspen and Rio de Janeiro.
"Huge thanks and gratitude are owed to our people, clients, partners and collaborators both past and present – without you, none of this would have been possible," concluded Beckett. "Our voyage continues and we cannot wait."