Garth Carstens

As an entrepreneur by nature, Garth developed a bespoke yacht currency hedge investment product tailored to protect the wealth of South African investors who sought low risk offshore investment options to balance their portfolios. Garth Carstens pioneered yacht syndication as a practical cost-effective method for sailors to enjoy their passion without the burden of servicing their boats overhead alone.

The yacht charter industry provided the means by which local investors could legally externalize their wealth effectively converting soft currency into hard currency assets that generate tax free dollar-based returns.

Garth has over 30 years global business experience with success in South Africa, Egypt, Middle East, United Kingdom, United States of America and the Caribbean including but not limited to developing currency hedge investment products linked to the maritime industry, promoting global footprints and creating profitable exit strategies.

He has been instrumental in growing the stainless-steel tank container industry (IMO1, 3 & 5) via his involvement with Ocean Container Investments (a FirstCorp Merchant Bank & Trencor JV). Garth sold containers and managed a national brokerage that progressed cross border into neighboring countries and as far North as Egypt.

Garth then traveled North where he had established a footprint in Egypt and started to sell tank containers via several Egyptian Banks. Having gained success within the tank container industry, he decided that luxury ocean going yachts offered a far better investment option to that of tank containers.

Garth has designed, built, sold, chartered and managed yachts dating back as far as 1984. Through his various business ventures within the industry, Garth has sold over 350 high end yachts and managed a fleet of 142 charter yachts.

He is the founder and Chairman of Mankind 4 Humanity Ltd, Chairman of Alpha Abacus Investments (Pty) Ltd and founder of Fx Franchising & Consulting (Previously News Inc) a company that has successfully exported some of South Africa’s largest food franchise brands.

Mr Carstens is the CEO of Cape Cairo Alliance (Pty) and Business Development Manager at Optima Process Engineering (Pty) Ltd.