Pearl Expeditions, an Australian boutique expedition cruising operator, announced the appointment of Max McGuire as marine operations manager. The appointment reflects Pearl Expeditions’ commitment to operational excellence across the Kimberley, northern Australia, Papua New Guinea and the Indonesian archipelago.
Max McGuire is one of Australia’s most experienced maritime professionals, with a career spanning more than thirty years and every ocean on the planet. He joins Pearl Expeditions from CSIRO’s Marine National Facility, where he spent 13 years as a voyage manager and marine operations officer supporting Australia’s world-class oceanographic research vessel, the RV Investigator. In this role, Max managed the full shoreside operational and logistical infrastructure that underpinned some of Australia’s most complex scientific voyages, ensuring seamless coordination among the vessel, crew, and scientific teams across the country’s vast marine territory.
Max’s expedition pedigree is equally impressive. Over the course of his career, he has worked alongside some of the most respected names in global expedition travel, guiding and managing operations across the Arctic, Antarctica, the Pacific Islands, South-East Asia, East Africa, and Australia’s Kimberley. He holds an AMSA master mariner qualification, a UK MCA yacht master certificate, and is a PADI scuba dive master with more than 6,000 dives – a combination of credentials that is extraordinarily rare in the industry.
Pearl Expeditions general manager and head of sustainability Mick Fogg said McGuire will strengthen the company’s marine operations capability, bringing valuable expertise to support its continued growth.
“Max is precisely the kind of marine operations manager we’ve been looking for. His combination of remote and complex maritime operations, expedition travel experience, and genuine passion for the ocean is rare, and it aligns perfectly with what Pearl Expeditions stands for. We’re proud to have Max join our leadership team.” Fogg said.
Max himself spoke warmly about joining Pearl Expeditions:
“Pearl Expeditions is building a reputation for doing things the right way – with integrity, with genuine passion for the places they visit, and with real care for the guest experience” said McGuire.
“That’s exactly the kind of operation I want to be part of, and I couldn’t be more excited about what we’ll achieve together.”
Max McGuire’s appointment took effect on Monday, June 1 2026.
