Experience
Meet our directors: Karl Waktare
Karl Waktare
GMK Ltd
GMK is the largest distribution business in the UK shooting sports sector. It has a workforce of 60 people and has represented leading brands including Beretta, Sako, Tikka, Steiner, Benelli, Federal and CCI. Karl joined in October 1994, became Marketing Director in July 1995 and Managing Director in 1998. He left the business at the end of 2023, selling his shares in the business.
As Managing Director for over 25 years his responsibilities changed significantly over the period. He grew the business from £6.1m in 1998 to a peak of £31m turnover and pre-tax profit of £3m whilst maintaining market leading position. During his tenure new distribution agreements were secured and GMK won multiple distributor awards. He helped negotiate the sale of 60% of the business to the Beretta family Holding company, establish the Beretta Gallery in London and create the GMK Tactical division which won British Army tenders for Benelli shotguns and Steiner binoculars.
LLC Ltd
Created LLC in 2002 as a joint venture between GMK Ltd and Lafuma Group S.A, of France. LLC was the exclusive UK and ROI distributor for Le Chameau, Lafuma, Oxbow & Millet. Sharing resources with GMK, LLC employed 12 full time staff. Turnover peaked at £7.5m and the company developed Le Chameau into the UK’s market leading premium rubber boot. LLC also operated in the garden furniture, outdoor and surf wear markets. Lafuma divested their shareholding in 2009, LLC was dissolved in 2015 after the new VC owners of Le Chameau took distribution in house.
Shooting Industry Fund Limited
Karl was Chairman of the SIF from 2010 to 2024, an industry fund created to defend shooting sports from unnecessary or unfair regulation. He previously chaired the Shooting Sports Trust until he recommended and oversaw it’s merger with the Gun Trade Association (GTA). Karl served as a GTA council member for a period.
Sky TV
Karl joined British Satellite Broadcasting (BSB) in March 1990 as a graduate trainee working in Advertising Sales. BSB merged with Sky TV in the autumn of the same year. Satellite broadcasting was a new media at the time competing for a share of Television advertising budgets. The role offered a broad media training across radio, newspaper, cinema and outdoor advertising. He managed a portfolio of clients that included some of London’s biggest advertising agencies. Karl left in September 1994 to join GMK.
Education
Graduated in 1998 with a BSc (Hons) in Management Science from UMIST (University of Manchester)