Interview: New Nimbus management duo talks about future plans

The traditional Swedish shipyard Nimbus has a new management duo. Managing Director Johan Inden and his deputy Christina Evans talk about future plans and the importance of the company's history.

Founded in Gothenburg in 1968, the shipyard specialised in the construction of leisure motorboats from the very beginning. The very first model, the Nimbus 26, was an outstanding success. The company has been collaborating with international designers since the late 1990s and expanded as the Nimbus Group with several brands in 2018. We spoke to the new management duo in Düsseldorf.

BOOTE: You both come from other companies in the industry. Where were you before?

Mrs Evans, do you also come from a maritime background?

Christina Evans: Yes, I've been CCO at Axopar for the last four years and have worked closely with the Nimbus dealers there. As a result, I was present at many events. Before that, I worked at Volvo Trucks for almost twenty years. Johan and I already knew each other, but mainly from working together on the Board of Directors.

How did you get into the boating industry? Was it purely out of professional interest, or do you also have a passion for boats in your private life? Did you grow up with boats?

Johan Inden: To be honest, I'm not a born boat lover. Like so many Swedes, I had boats when I was young, but it wasn't a real passion back then. Over the last ten years in the maritime industry, however, I have come to appreciate the industry. It combines a professional consumer goods business with great passion. Strong brands, emotional customer experiences and, at the same time, demanding entrepreneurial challenges. It is precisely this combination that really appeals to me.

Christina Evans: The sea has always been an important part of my life. I live in Gothenburg, in the centre of one of Sweden's most beautiful archipelagos. As a young woman, I sailed a lot, even when I was at university. Later, when I had my own family, the motorboat became more and more important because it is ideal for spending time with the children and friends on the water. It's all about capturing moments: the beautiful sunset, being together. The great thing is that it often only takes a few hours.

Why was Nimbus the next logical career step for you?

Johan Inden: Nimbus is an exceptionally strong brand. When it became known that I was starting here, many people congratulated me and almost everyone had a personal Nimbus story to tell. Family experiences, long-cherished dreams of owning a boat or memories from childhood. This emotional connection is something very special in this industry.

Christina Evans: I come from the Volvo Group, which is also a very strong brand with over 100,000 employees. Nimbus offers similar brand strength, but is much smaller, more agile and more dynamic. You are closer to the product, closer to the customers and closer to the decisions. It was precisely this proximity and dynamism that convinced me.

Are there things you would like to change at Nimbus?

Johan Inden: Of course, you always change a few things. But we're not going to turn the whole shipyard upside down. We are sticking to what we can do and what we have been doing well for decades. That's important, because otherwise we might lose customers and, above all, our DNA, which characterises each of our products.

Christina Evans: The term "heritage" sums it up very well. We have a very valuable history, and we want to and must remain true to it. Modern and new designs can be integrated, always in high quality and with a premium claim, so that the Nimbus brand remains clearly recognisable.

The history of Nimbus is very dominant. Can tradition also put the brakes on?

Christina Evans: Of course we are bound to certain things. But I wouldn't call that putting the brakes on. It's about sticking to the roots of the shipyard and that's exactly what we want. Our history is very important to us.

Finally, a personal question: If you were travelling on a Nimbus for a longer period of time, which model would you choose?

Johan Inden: I owned a Nimbus boat myself for over ten years, long before I became part of the company. If I were travelling for longer, I would probably opt for the 495 decide.

Christina Evans: That's a difficult question. I like the 365 Coupé very. I think I would choose this model because you can easily reach the many small archipelagos and spend time there.