CMP Group Appoints Michael Szwez CEO as Marine Supply Network Reorganises
By Stephen Yardley · Edited by Stephen Yardley
Marine equipment supplier CMP Group has named Michael Szwez chief executive officer as it reorganises responsibility across North America, Europe and Asia-Pacific. The Canada-based group supplies products for anchoring, corrosion protection
Marine equipment supplier CMP Group has named Michael Szwez chief executive officer as it reorganises responsibility across North America, Europe and Asia-Pacific. The Canada-based group supplies products for anchoring, corrosion protection, docking, steering and controls, and marine maintenance under brands including Rocna, Vulcan, Martyr, Titan, DockEdge+, Panther and Octopus.
Szwez has approximately thirty years in the marine industry and joined the company in 2016 as vice president of marketing. He became senior vice president of sales and marketing in 2025 before the latest promotion, succeeding the interim leadership of Pete Samson.
The revised structure gives regional businesses greater responsibility for day-to-day decisions while retaining a common global strategy. This is relevant to yacht builders and chandleries because product availability, technical questions and after-sales service can require rapid answers from people working in the same market.
For a large yacht operating internationally, consistent equipment identification and reliable replacement parts matter more than headline inventory numbers. A corroded component or steering issue can delay an itinerary, making documentation and regional stock support important purchasing considerations.
Fabien Vignes will focus on Asia-Pacific business development after previously holding responsibility across Oceania and Europe. Marco Piacenza continues to lead the European operation, while Tyler Seebach maintains North American distribution, manufacturing and original-equipment relationships.
Darrick Lemaster continues oversight of commercial sales and supply-chain operations in Suffolk, Virginia. The regional roles identify points of organisational responsibility but do not by themselves establish new manufacturing capacity, pricing or guaranteed inventory levels.
Ground tackle must be selected for the vessel's dimensions and anchoring conditions, with chain, windlass, anchors and deck attachments considered as a combined engineered system. Incorrect assumptions about a component's capacity can undermine the entire arrangement, regardless of the supplier's brand recognition.
Sacrificial anodes and corrosion-protection products perform a different role, helping protect immersed metal components when specified and maintained correctly. Owners should inspect the installation and corrosion environment rather than choosing replacement components by appearance alone.
Szwez's stated priorities include customer relationships, quality, innovation and service as distribution channels evolve. Those are strategic intentions, while measurable improvements would require evidence of stock availability, shorter lead times or improved technical response.
The management change is relevant to superyacht suppliers because it affects a company serving multiple essential hardware categories. The practical test will be how effectively regional organisations support builders, refit yards and marine-equipment dealers over future cruising seasons.
Owners frequently keep a yacht in service long after its original model of steering control, dock fitting or corrosion component has been superseded. The ability to identify and obtain equivalent replacement parts is a major consideration when selecting suppliers for a new build.
A globally coordinated distributor can help maintain product documentation and compatible replacements, while regional autonomy may improve responsiveness when a yard needs assistance quickly. The outcome depends on inventory management and communication between teams, which the new management structure will need to demonstrate.
Chandleries and regional equipment distributors frequently serve as the link between manufacturer specifications and an engineer working at a berth. They add value through component identification, rapid ordering and knowledge of local conditions rather than simply stocking shelves.
Changes to a supplier's senior leadership matter if they affect product development, support policy or regional service networks. At present, CMP's announcement establishes changes in responsibility, but it does not disclose new customer terms or specific additions to its marine product catalogue.
For superyachts, the sensible response is to maintain accurate equipment inventories and current supplier contacts. A clear procurement history helps resolve technical questions irrespective of organisational change within the manufacturing group.
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