OKTO

ZANE GRAY | Rotational Captain |Australian
Zane grew up on the coastline of Perth, Western Australia, where an early life around boats and the ocean set the foundation for his maritime career.
His passion for the sea led him into professional yachting, where he has now spent over a decade working on both private and charter motor yachts worldwide. Zane’s career has taken him across four of the world’s five oceans aboard yachts ranging from 50 to 91 metres. He obtained his Masters licence in 2022 and has since served as Captain of M/Y Avalon (46m) and M/Y Soundwave (63m), developing broad charter experience across the Mediterranean, Caribbean, and high-latitude cruising regions, before joining M/Y OKTO. Zane takes great pride in delivering a safe, seamless, and memorable onboard experience, with a strong focus on professionalism, crew leadership, and attention to detail.
He enjoys sharing his knowledge of cruising areas and marine life. Outside of yachting, Zane is an avid waterman and dive instructor, with a passion for diving, kitesurfing, foiling, and surfing. He looks forward to welcoming guests on board OKTO and creating unforgettable experiences.

PETE GRUNOW | Rotational Captain | South African
With a proud heritage rooted in both Italy and South Africa, Captain Pete is now based in Cape Town, where he lives with his wife, their dog, and newborn twins.
Pete began his career in the yachting industry in 2013 and has since grown into a highly experienced and respected leader. Over the years, he has logged thousands of nautical miles, sailing on vessels across the Mediterranean, Caribbean, and the Bahamas. Known for his calm leadership, operational expertise, and passion for the sea, Pete brings a wealth of cruising knowledge and a deep commitment to safety and guest experience onboard OKTO
His love for exploration and the ocean is matched by his drive in personal pursuits. A dedicated endurance athlete, Pete has completed several ultra-distance trail running events in remote and rugged terrains, including New Zealand and Nepal. When not at sea or on the trails, he enjoys time at home, playing golf, or competing on the Padel court.

SAM STEWARD | Chief Officer | English
Sam was born in Cheltenham, United Kingdom, but now spends most of his time in Mallorca. At the age of 13 his parents began home educating him and his sister so they could travel around every country in Western Europe in a
Campervan. This was where he found his love for the sea and eventually the yachting industry, which he has been in since 2014. Prior to yachting Sam played American Football in the UK for 8 years, for 2 of these years he was the starting Quarterback for Great Britain, playing in tournaments in the Netherlands and Serbia.
In his free time, he enjoys writing, and has been working on several different screenplays which he hopes to one day make into a movie.

JOSH DAVIES | Rotational Chief Officer | British
With close to a decade of experience in the yachting industry, Josh brings strong leadership and a calm, capable presence to M/Y OKTO. As Chief Officer, he manages all deck operations, safety procedures, and navigational support with precision and professionalism. His background in sailing and watersports, combined with a hands-on approach, ensures every charter runs smoothly and safely.
Off duty, Josh enjoys life on a small farm with his fiancée, their dog, and a few beloved animals. A passionate surfer who enjoys teaching watersports, he loves getting guests out on the water for paddleboarding, snorkeling, or beach days. Friendly, approachable, and detail-oriented, Josh is dedicated to making each guest’s experience aboard OKTO unforgettable.

STUART GELDART | Second Officer | South African
Stuart comes from a small town just outside of Durban. With 9 years in the industry, and a wide range of cruising experience he is excited to bring his knowledge to the guests of OKTO.
Stuart has a keen thrill for all things adventurous and spends all of his off time in the bush, cruising through campsites around South Africa, paddling rivers or riding a horse. Stuart is close to achieving his Masters ticket and is working hard to
get there.

GEORGE ATKINSON | Bosun | English
George comes from a quiet village outside of London and already has his foot in the yachting industry with a few years of experience under his belt.
One of George’s favourite things about being onboard MY OKTO is teaching water sports and seeing the pure enjoyment on guest’s faces when they get it right. George enjoys nothing more than a sunrise paddle board, he describes himself as adventurous and enjoys exploring new places.

JEAN MARITZ | Deckhand | South African
Jean grew up in Durban South Africa coming from a very sporty family. He is an avid fisherman and loves spending time in and around the water.
Sailing all over the world has been a thrilling experience for him as he has cruised the Mediterranean and Caribbean Seas and hopes one day to add the Indian Ocean to the list. As a deckhand onboard OKTO Jean is looking forward to giving you an experience you will never forget through their wide range of water toys and days filled of adventures.

AXEL LANNERSTEDT | Deckhand | Swedish
Axel grew up in Stockholm, Sweden, surrounded by the beautiful archipelago that sparked his early love for the sea. With a positive attitude, good sense of humor, and ambition, he brings great energy to every occasion. Axel has passion for photography, videography, and all things active, whether on land or in the water. He’s always up for an adventure and loves capturing moments along the way. What he values most about working on MY OKTO is the guest interaction. Axel takes pride in creating memorable experiences and making everybody feel welcome on board

JESSICA WILLS THORNTON | Rotational Chief Stewardess |British
Meet Jessica, born and raised in North Yorkshire, an adventurous spirit who thrives in the great outdoors. Whether hiking, skiing or horse riding, she finds joy in every natural setting. This love for adventure is complemented by a competitive edge, driving her to embrace challenges in outdoor sports and creative pursuits. With a keen eye for detail, Jessica transforms gatherings into memorable experiences. As a kind and caring natural host, Jessica takes pride in curating a warm and inviting atmosphere. Whether it’s a walking trip or a cozy dinner party, Jessica brings enthusiasm and joy to every
moment, welcoming guests onboard MY OKTO and providing a seamless, luxurious experience.

ALICE JOHNSON | Rotational Chief Stewardess |Australian
Meet Alice, born and raised on the coast of Melbourne, Australia. Alice comes from a background of being on the water with a family of sailors. Through this it was how Alice discovered the yachting industry and landed her first position in yachting cruising South East Asia and the Pacific for first three years of her career. Alice thrives on leading the Interior team and is excited to bring her wealth of knowledge to MY OKTO, guiding her department to deliver seam- less, luxury service in true OKTO style. In her free time, you can find Alice staying active and outdoors, travelling to off the beaten track countries, often below sea level, scuba diving.


TATE LONG-LINES | 2nd Stewardess | South African
Meet Tate, she is a city girl who then moved to the beautiful Cape Town, South Africa. She studied at a culinary school in the wineries of Stellenbosch and became a qualified pastry chef. Soon after Tate realised yachting was her next step and she dived into it with an open mind and soon fell in love with it. Her creative side from "cheffing" has allowed her to take on being a stewardess with all the detailed orientated and creative aspects that come with the job.

SOPHIE ATKINSON | Stewardess | British
Meet Sophie, our dedicated stewardess born in England, who quickly found a love for adventure and meeting new people while volunteering and studying abroad in China, Madagascar, and Canada. Sophie’s enthusiasm goes perfectly in hand with her passion for guest interaction and delivering exceptional service, discovered while working in hospitality alongside her studies at The University of Edinburgh. Since then, she has built the foundations of a long lasting career in yachting, refining her skills and showcasing her creativity all throughout the Mediterranean.
Sophie brings her passion and dedication to OKTO, ready to welcome guests and create memorable experiences.

MONIQUE BEKKER | Stewardess | South African
Meet Monique, she is a dedicated individual wanting to grow in her yachting career, she found her passion for service and guest interactions quickly whilst cruising the Middle East and Mediterranean. Monique has a creative flare with a degree in nail design which she hopes to eventually incorporate into yachting, she also has a love for animals and volunteers at her local animal shelter. With her many interests and passions Monique is determined to keep growing and succeed in anything she puts her mind to.

MILLA REPO | Stewardess | Finnish
Meet Milla from the Finnish archipelago. Surrounded by the sea from a young age, she naturally found a passion for yachting and life on the water.
After spending several exciting years working as cabin crew, she brought her passion for exceptional, detail-oriented service to the world of yachting. She holds a Master’s degree in Business with a focus on Philanthropic Entrepreneurship. Milla also has a keen interest in interior design and enjoys creating beautiful, welcoming spaces for guests. She looks forward to making your time on board truly unforgettable!

WILLIAM PITT-BROOKE | Head Chef | English
William joins MY OKTO having perfected his trade over the past 12 years. Will has worked in 1, 2 and 3 Michelin star restaurants, with his proudest position being Head Chef at a 1 Michelin star restaurant in Birmingham. He loves all types of cuisine and is continuously discovering and experimenting with new ones! His favorite type of food is street food. In his spare time William enjoys playing football, skiing, hiking and challenging crew members on the Padel court.

OWEN NYAKUDYA | Sous Chef | Zimbabwean
Owen started his career in Africa where he worked in 2 restaurants ranked 22nd and 56th best in the world. During this time Owen grew into his own personal style of intuitive and creative cooking as he worked closely with farmers, fishmongers and foraging around Cape Town. In his free time Owen enjoys creating digital content, sand-boarding, snowboarding and keeps fit by mastering the skill of Calisthenics.

BEN CUDD | Rotational Chief Engineer | English
Ben joined OKTO as 2nd Engineer in 2023. With 11 years of experience under his belt he was the natural choice for the promotion to Chief Engineer when it became available. He has passion for everything related to marine engineering and is dedicated to ensuring that the yacht’s mechanical systems are functioning at their best. Outside of work, Ben enjoys mountain biking, cars, and spending time with his family, especially his growing young son who at the age of 2 keeps him on his toes. Ben is an adventurous person who enjoys seeking out new locations and pushing himself to the limit!

BENJAMIN DOAK | Rotational Chief Engineer | New Zealander
Ben grew up in Auckland, New Zealand. He comes from a keen boating family who can often be found fishing and cruising out on the Hauraki Gulf during the summer months. Ben aims to deploy his engineering experience in a manner that offers OKTO guests seamless enjoyment of all her technical capabilities. When at home, Ben enjoys spending time outdoors with his kids and indulging his passion for motorsports competing in sprint car racing.

VASI MIC | Second Engineer | Romanian
Vasi has spent the last 5 years in the large yacht sector and prior to his yachting career he lived in Australia for 12 years, working in the mobile telecommunications industry. Since joining yachting he has specialized in working with various high-tech technical systems. Engineering runs in the family with his sister also working in the superyacht sector as a Chief Engineer. In his free time, Vasi enjoys cycling, diving, snowboarding, and travelling.

ETHAN WYLIE | Third Engineer | South African
Ethan began his career on deck before discovering his true passion for engineering, which has since guided his professional journey. With almost four years of experience, His love for the sea and its vast opportunities has shaped his work ethic and drive, and he continues to grow within the industry, focusing on combining his maritime expertise with engineering innovation. Outside of his career, Ethan is an avid sports enthusiast, enjoying a variety of athletic activities and adventurous pursuits. Whether it's playing sports or exploring the great outdoors, he is always eager to challenge himself physically and mentally.