New Appointments for Navico to Drive Growth of Simrad Brand

Nicolas Quéru has been appointed to lead Navico’s Commercial Marine Division worldwide to take forward the marine electronics group’s continuing strategy for growth. Quéru, 35, has been made EVP Managing Director with immediate effect following his promotion from Vice President, Commercial Marine EMEA. He succeeds Jose Herrero.
 
A French native residing in Oslo, Quéru has extensive experience in international business management, including over eight years in management consulting at Oliver Wyman and Bain & Company leading assignments in strategic planning, customer loyalty, distribution strategy and sales excellence.
 
“Nicolas has successfully established and developed the EMEA business, with a competent team, a clear growth strategy and solid sales momentum,” said Leif Ottosson, CEO Navico. “We would like to place on record our thanks to Jose for his contribution to the group and wish him well for the future. Nicolas is a worthy successor who will drive the company’s very focused strategy targeting retrofit and newbuilding, predominantly in the light commercial marine sector, where our portfolio of integrated solutions has become highly competitive.”
 
“I am delighted to take up this role at a time when Navico’s Commercial Division is intensifying efforts to demonstrate its track record and Simrad branded solutions to ship-owners and managers, and galvanizing the network of partner dealers and distributors,” said Quéru. “I’m also looking forward to continuing to support Leif in driving the ambitious M&A agenda that will take Navico’s Commercial Division and the Simrad brand to a world leading position in commercial marine.”
 
Alongside Nicolas Quéru, Stephen Davis, has been appointed Simrad Global Brand Director within Navico’s marketing team. Stephen will be helping to develop the Simrad brand in both leisure and commercial markets. He will be working alongside the Product Management teams and regional Sales & Marketing groups on a worldwide basis.
 
“I’m very excited to be working on such a great range of products produced by the Simrad brand both in the recreation and commercial sides of the business,” said Davis. He added: “There is so much that can be offered to customers across both sectors including high tech digital integration in the marine industry that will change the way we think about marine technology for a long time to come.”
 
Davis’s marketing background spans several different industry verticals, from packaged consumer goods to on-line travel. He will now get the chance to use his extensive experience and his interest in sailing & powerboating to help continue to build brand awareness for Simrad and its range of products and navigation solutions.  Prior to Simrad, Davis’s most recent position was with American Airlines, where he led global marketing strategy, based in the UK & the US.

For more information, visit www.navico.com/commercial.

About Simrad

Simrad, a brand within the world’s largest marine electronics group Navico, specialises in electronic technology solutions for commercial vessels. The company’s products include sophisticated radar, auto-steering, navigation and safety products for vessels of all sizes – from small vessels on inland waterways to larger coastal commercial and passenger ships. As part of the Navico group of companies which also includes the Lowrance and B&G brands, Simrad benefits from Navico’s global network which comprises manufacturing and service centres in the US, Mexico, UK, Middle East, South Korea, Sydney and New Zealand.  The Simrad trademark is owned by Kongsberg Maritime AS and licensed to Navico.