About Chris McMenemy
Founder of VALO | Marine Growth Strategist | Systems Thinker
I’m Chris — founder of VALO — a go-to-market obsessive, tech optimist, and opportunistic entrepreneur who's spent the last 15+ years building things that work: businesses, teams, brands, systems, and strategies. I’m a naval architect by education, and began my career at sea — training as an engineering cadet and sailing on offshore vessels in the North Sea. Since then, I’ve sailed or visited over 100 ships across the globe, pitched 100's of VCs, led sales meetings on four continents, and worked across every layer of the marine value chain. I’ve delivered keynote speeches at major industry events, led NGO focus groups, and built a global network of 5,000+ founders, operators, and investors.
And one thing has always been true:
If you want to grow in this industry, you have to think differently.
Throughout my career I’ve launched startups, led commercial turnarounds, repositioned brands, raised capital, rebuilt cultures, and helped businesses unlock serious momentum in tough markets. All within the marine sector.
And I’ve done it by focusing relentlessly on three things:
Most marine companies bury their value in technical language or legacy thinking. I help uncover what really matters — and turn it into clear, compelling positioning that drives traction, revenue, and investment.
Marine is late to the AI party — but the opportunity is massive. I help companies systemise operations, automate manual processes, and leverage AI tools to scale output without scaling teams.
I’ve sat in the chair — managing growth, hiring teams, fixing broken funnels, and reporting to boards. Through VALO’s Fractional CRO model, I bring that experience into other businesses to accelerate revenue without adding headcount.
Career Journey Highlights
Before I ever stepped into a shipyard or boardroom, I went to sea. As an engineering cadet, I trained and sailed on offshore construction vessels in the North Sea — gaining hands-on experience with the realities of maintaining a working ship and understanding life onboard. I was immersed in the culture of frontline marine operations and was quickly given responsibility for the full rebuild the vessel's entire systems drawings from scratch.
This experience grounded me in the operational side of the industry — where things don’t just look good on paper, they have to work. It gave me early exposure to leadership, responsibility, and the complex web of human and technical systems that drive the marine world.
I began my career at Malin as a naval architect, working on large-scale marine engineering projects all around the world. I was thrown in at the deep end — trusted with responsibility early and surrounded by fantastic, experienced colleagues who helped guide and shape the foundations of my career. Their mentorship gave me insight into operational discipline, engineering excellence, and the culture of traditional marine business.
But what stood out most during this time wasn’t just the complexity of the projects — it was the glaring commercial gap. Even well-established, respected marine brands were incredibly limited in their go-to-market activity. Many relied on lone-wolf sales tactics, reputation, and legacy relationships — stuck firmly in the old marine sales playbook.
That disconnect between technical strength and commercial sophistication became the spark for everything I’ve gone on to build with VALO.
Cleanship was born with a bold vision and scaled at pace — growing into a $5M+ revenue operation with over 50 employees. We built one of the strongest team cultures in the marine services space, earned industry recognition, and became a go-to brand for maritime decarbonisation.
Taking the lessons from Malin, I was determined to do the opposite of what I'd seen from traditional marine brands. We embraced bold, often radical go-to-market strategies — and they worked. We landed some of the largest shipping companies in the world as clients, and consistently punched well above our weight. We leveraged 100x more from our GTM efforts than what we invested.
We were generating revenue at a rapid pace and made a significant internal investment to shift from a scrappy, high-growth startup to a structured, scalable business — what we often described as the transition from pirates to navy. But just as we made that leap, COVID-19 hit. Practically overnight, 90% of our revenue was wiped out.
Navigating through that shock tested every part of the business — and every part of me. It taught me how quickly external forces can unravel even the most well-built operation, and why resilience, agility, and clear thinking are just as important as growth. That hard-earned experience now underpins the work I do with clients through VALO.
Propelme was a leap into solving an industry problem that was deeply personal — the inefficiencies and fragmentation in maritime HR. It was a space I understood intimately, and I knew technology could do better. Our goal was to build a platform that connected talent, companies, and opportunity across the maritime ecosystem.
Within just four months, we launched both a mobile app and desktop SaaS platform. I built and led a team out of the Philippines in under a month, and we rapidly scaled to over 50,000 users. Propelme onboarded some of the largest shipping companies in the sector, and our global social media channels quickly reached over 50 million monthly impressions.
But we made a classic mistake: putting too much faith in a major corporate investment deal that ultimately fell through. When that collapsed, it forced a painful restructuring — and ultimately, I had to walk away from the company I founded.
That experience taught me more than any success ever could: how fragile momentum can be, how important cash and focus are, and how critical it is to build resilient, independent growth engines. It also deepened my conviction in VALO’s model — clear thinking, smart execution, and systems that scale without relying on silver bullets.
After Propelme, I began working with a wide range of marine startups, scaleups, and SMEs — applying everything I’d learned across product, automation, and go-to-market strategy. These engagements shaped what would become VALO: a new kind of commercial partner for marine businesses looking to grow with clarity and speed.
Through these consulting roles, I helped:
A technical startup 4x its inbound leads in 90 days with a new strategic narrative and automation workflows
A legacy marine brand reposition itself and launch a digital demand engine that tripled their qualified pipeline
Multiple early-stage ventures raise capital through sharper positioning and investor-ready messaging
Companies adopt AI and automation across marketing, operations, and sales — reducing manual effort by 40–60%
Across each project, I saw the same pattern: technical strength held back by outdated commercial thinking. VALO was built to change that — and to give modern marine teams the edge they need to scale.
A Unique Lens on the Marine Industry
Every chapter of my career — from naval architecture and shipyards to VC-backed platforms and rapid-growth startups — has shaped a uniquely well-rounded, real-world perspective.
I’ve worn every hat: engineer, founder, operator, strategist, fundraiser, team builder, product owner, marketer, sales lead, revenue owner, and automation architect. I’ve personally hired over 100 people, managed teams across continents, and built entire revenue systems from the ground up.
I’ve worked behind the scenes with some of the boldest startups in the marine sector and advised SMEs on transforming legacy models into high-performance growth engines. I’ve helped raise millions in investment, scaled platforms to tens of thousands of users, and built demand gen machines that punched far above their weight.
I’m a deep-rooted tech geek with a commercial bias — a systems thinker who can code, build, pitch, and scale. I’ve spoken at industry events, worked with most of the marine-focused VCs, and built a global network of 5,000+ founders, leaders, and innovators.
That’s why VALO exists. Because when you’ve seen every side of this industry — and lived every challenge — you know exactly what it takes to grow differently.
If you're serious about growing your marine business differently — faster, smarter, and with leverage — I’d love to talk.
Chris McMenemy
Founder, VALO
The old marine sales playbook is dead.
Buyers are more informed. Digital presence matters more than ever. Yet most marine businesses still rely on outdated growth models — siloed teams, technical-first strategy, and bloated sales cycles.
Modern buyers make 83% of their decision before speaking to sales. 66% would buy based on digital experience alone.
Despite this shift, the industry hasn’t adapted.
Old tactics don’t work in a world where speed, clarity, and alignment drive results. That's where Valo comes in.
I founded VALO to break the playbook and redefine what commercial growth looks like in the marine industry.
With a background as a naval architect, startup founder, commercial operator, and growth strategist — and a career-long focus on automation, technology, and systems thinking — I’ve seen every corner of this sector. I’ve made the mistakes, challenged entrenched thinking, and learned what actually drives progress — not just in theory, but in real operational environments.
VALO combines deep marine insight with sharp commercial execution — blending strategic narrative, AI-powered systems, and embedded leadership to unlock momentum fast.
We audit, design, implement, and empower — helping you think differently, act faster, and scale with real commercial precision.
Once the foundation’s set, we stay in your corner — through fractional support, modern toolkits, and the systems to keep your growth moving.
If you're ready to grow differently — and move faster than the market — let’s talk.
Chris McMenemy | Founder & CEO
Marine Done Differently
