Gareth Hodson was twelve years old when he first worked in the marine industry, ferrying anglers ashore by tender at the inaugural Furuno Fishing Tournament on Waiheke Island. The event ran for another nineteen years and grew into the largest marine gathering ever staged on a New Zealand island.
Hodson is now celebrating his 30th anniversary with Electronic Navigation Limited (ENL), the Auckland-based company behind the WASSP multibeam sonar range. He has spent half of those thirty years as Managing Director, a role he still holds.
Hodson’s path into ENL started on the technical side. Coming from an electrical background, he qualified as a Marine Electronics Technician in 1994 and spent his early years in product validation and R&D. That work took him to Canada’s east coast, where he helped roll out an ENL-built electronic net monitoring system for commercial fishing operators.
He later played rugby for the Crawshays touring side in Wales, facing opposition that included Cambridge University and Cornwall County. When he returned to New Zealand, he gained commercial experience in the marine leisure sector before rejoining ENL as Commercial Product Manager.
He became a director twenty years ago and Managing Director fifteen years ago. Under his leadership, ENL has grown from a well-regarded domestic operator into a globally recognised marine technology business with distribution in more than 40 countries. Thousands of commercial operators, surveyors, researchers, offshore contractors and vessel owners now rely on WASSP multibeam technology to map, navigate and understand the underwater environment.
Head of R&D Matthew Taylor credits Hodson directly for that growth: “Gareth’s contribution to ENL has been extraordinary. His passion for innovation, commitment to customers, and determination to build a world-class New Zealand technology company have helped shape ENL into the organisation it is today. The growth of the WASSP brand and ENL’s international success are a direct reflection of Gareth’s leadership and vision.”
Hodson has spent years travelling to build relationships with distributors, customers and partners overseas, work that underpins ENL’s standing as a trusted provider of advanced marine electronics and sonar technology. He has also backed sustained investment in engineering, building an R&D team that now serves the commercial fishing, offshore, exploration, superyacht, defence and hydrographic survey sectors.
Reflecting on his career, Hodson said relationships have mattered most: “Our relationships and reputation as a marine electronics solutions provider are paramount. I’ve been fortunate to work alongside an incredible team and loyal customers throughout my career. What we’ve achieved together over the past 30 years is something I’m immensely proud of, and I’m excited about the opportunities that lie ahead for ENL and WASSP.”
With more than 80 years of history behind it and a presence in over 40 countries, ENL says the focus now shifts to further investment in innovation, global growth and the next generation of marine technologies, continuing its commitment to delivering world-class marine solutions from New Zealand to the world.
