Dan Couchman

CEO @Discovery Yachts

Plymouth, GB

Dan, CEO and Co-founder of Ocean Discovery Yachts, is a keen sailor and ex professional yacht delivery skipper. A highly experienced marine industry sales and project manager with in-depth specialist technical knowledge of OEM marine products, Dan has worked for over 25 years with international brands and groups, such as Plastimo, XM Yachting, Maxpower, Akzo Nobel, Crewsaver, Survitec, Adidas Sailing, Typhoon, Yak, Ocean Safety, Navimo and France’s leading marine manufacturer and distributor Alliance Marine. Dan (half French) is very well connected within the UK and European marine industry and is skilled in negotiation, sales, management, marketing, business and brand development and has over 25 years’ experience of exhibiting at major international boat shows. Dan was founder of H2Eau (established in 2015), a company specialising in France & European marine industry sales and brand marketing support for UK and International marine industry manufacturers. H2Eau developed and supported a B2B French network of retail chandlery outlets (over 250 stores), shipyards and superyacht sector customers including development of sponsorship partnerships with professional yacht race teams. Dan is experienced in yacht refit and design and has extensive specialist knowledge in sustainable materials, advanced performance composites, build processes and latest onboard systems. He is actively working and engaging with leading industry manufacturers, designers, universities, the UK NCC centre and the UK’s National Innovation Edge agency to support the boat building industry to deliver sustainable solutions. Dan\'s vision is to showcase and support development and new standards for a sustainable marine industry. Dan’s current personal build project is the \"Up-Cycling\" of the well-known 50-year-old former OYT vessel, 22m sailing yacht, the Francis Drake, by renowned naval architect Robert Clark. Dan was brought up in and lives in Plymouth, where Discovery yachts is now based.