In the space of a year Nick Ogden – founder of Performance Marine Group – has found himself overseeing the build of 500 boats.
“If someone told me last year that I’d be building over 500 boats next year, I would have smiled. This year, I’m still smiling – but the 500 was an underestimate,” he says.
Ogden’s always been keen on the water and says that a few years ago, the opportunity arose to engage in UIM endurance racing and to own Thunder Child II – which he describes as a truly unique powerboat.
“With six UIM World Records under our belt, acquiring an Olympic-standard boat builder felt like a natural evolution.”
That evolution led to acquiring PSA in Australia (2024), followed by the Ocean Play range from RS in early 2025. PSA produces Olympic-class dinghies adhering to the original one-class design by Bruce Kirby from 1970.
“We’re uniquely positioned …. owning original moulds and tooling purchased directly from Kirby.”
The company also opened a 23,000 sq ft boatbuilding facility in Morisset, New South Wales, dedicated to the manufacture of ILCA class dinghies in June this year.
Now Ogden (pictured left) says he’s heavily investing in R&D with carbon fibre and infusion technologies.
“Despite being in manufacturing, the challenges mirror those in financial services and IT – complex system builds, high-quality expectations, rigorous governance, and zero tolerance for shortcuts.” Ogden started his career within the finance tech sector. “Innovation in both sectors means adopting a ‘fail fast, review quickly, move forward’ approach.”
Marine sector ripe for innovation
“Innovation has always defined my career, and the marine sector is ripe for it. My mantra remains: “The answer is always no – until you ask the question.
“While it’s rare to abandon a project, we pause when market timing shifts.”
That said, even in the current era of uncertainty, Ogden says the company’s focused on scaling strategically to meet rising global demand. “Our immediate priority is establishing new manufacturing facilities in Europe and North America. These hubs will support the rapid growth of the Performance Marine team and provide local access to high-performance boats for both recreational and elite athletes.”
Single-handed racing dinghy to launch September 2025
And this September comes the launch of the firm’s latest project. That’s a single-handed racing boat designed, Ogden says, to make elite performance accessible. “That innovation shouldn’t be confined to one corner of the sport. Our upcoming single-handed racing dinghy . . . is the result of knowledge transfer across our endurance powerboating and Olympic sailing divisions – something few builders in the world can genuinely offer.”
Ogden believes the company’s focus on product quality and a deep commitment to customer service makes the difference to its innovation. “Layer onto that our expanding network of sponsored athletes who actively test and shape our new products, and you have a powerful formula for change. This ecosystem, where performance, feedback, and continuous improvement come together, is how we’re not just participating in the future of marine sport, but actively defining it.”
Ogden – and PMG – operates a 23,000 sq ft state-of-the-art manufacturing facility in Australia, developing next-generation carbon fibre dinghies. It’s not a career that he expected to find himself in.
Tech background lends itself to innovation
“My background has primarily been in financial technology innovation, particularly in applying cutting-edge digital solutions to banking and financial services,” he says.
“In 1994, I invented transactional e-commerce, which led to the world’s first online shop and, in partnership with Barclays Bank, the creation of the first bank-endorsed e-commerce shopping mall in 1995. This journey laid the foundation for Worldpay, which I founded.”
There’s an interesting explainer on textmaster about the development of e-commerce. The ‘father’ of the system is cited as Michael Aldrich who – in 1979 – connected a modified television to a computer via a telephone line. This technology made it possible to transmit payment data securely between two companies.
Following Worldpay, Ogden spearheaded several financial services initiatives, including Cashflows in 2011 and ClearBank in 2014, the UK’s first new clearing bank in 250 years. “I continue to be active in the financial sector,” he says, “serving as a main board director and chair of the risk committee at Geidea.”
But while being an actual dot.com success, Ogden was harking back to his younger pastimes – on the water.
“I’ve been passionate about the marine world since my teenage years, when I built fibreglass canoes and sailed a Flying 15.
“Living near the sea has kept me immersed – whether sailing, powerboating, or scuba diving. I often say that I thrive in deep water, both literally and in business.”
The company currently manufactures in Oceania, and Europe, with support teams for sales and customer service in both regions.
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