Wescom's new Marine Sales Director is 'coming home'
by WesCom Signal and Rescue 21 Jun 2021 16:56 BST
Jonathan Hirsh, Wescom Signal and Rescue's new Marine Sales Director, feels he is "coming home".
He started his career at BT Research developing software for the Whitbread Round The World Race and later held senior roles in sales and commercial development for Inmarsat, which specialises in providing satellite safety communications for those at sea.
Jonathan has been a keen leisure sailor since childhood. He has taken part in the BT Global Challenge round-the-world yacht race, currently sails a 1950s design Solo dinghy and has just finished his tenure as Commodore of Maidenhead Sailing Club.
So, working for Wescom Signal and Rescue, the world's leading marine distress signal company, which manufactures Pains Wessex, Comet, Aurora and Oroquieta brands, feels like the perfect fit.
"I feel fantastic, going from having been linked with one organisation that saves lives at sea through telecommunications and satellite services to working for Wescom, which saves lives with its marine distress signals. I love that connection.
"I am a sailor. I took part in the BT Global Challenge in 96/97, I have been in the middle of the Southern Ocean with a grab bag full of Pains Wessex flares and smokes and with life rafts on board and was very grateful to know they were there if needed."
Jonathan is excited to begin work as Marine Sales Director. "Wescom feels like a natural home for me. I understand the product. I understand how it is used. I understand how the maritime world works. I am focused on helping the brand go from strength to strength.
"The key elements of Wescom is that the brand is powerful, the products are superb, the team is very clued-up, very well respected, with a deep knowledge of the product, the customer and the market, and is incredibly proud of Wescom. We have one aim, to provide top-quality services and support to our customers."
Jonathan hopes to be able to attend the METSTRADE show in Amsterdam in November so he can meet some of the distributors face-to-face. "At the earliest opportunity when people are willing to travel, we will be there."
Early in his career, Jonathan, from Bourne End, Buckinghamshire, joined BTs aeronautical and maritime division, which was sold to Canadian company, Stratos, where he was Sales Account Manager for maritime distributors in the UK and Europe.
He became Head of Sales at SELEX, running a team selling marine electronics and satellite services in the UK and internationally. Jonathan then returned to Stratos as International Account Manager. After it was acquired by Inmarsat, he was promoted to Senior Sales Director and Senior Director of Commercial Development.
Jonathan then worked as Sales and Marketing Director for security company Ultra Electronics in the naval sector and Sales and Business Development Director for ophthalmic instruments company, Keeler. "There might not seem to be a great similarity between that and Wescom, but both are UK manufacturers who sell globally through distributors and are leaders in their sectors with highly respected brands."