Dutch shipyard, Heesen Yachts has announced the appointment of a new CEO in Niels Vaessen who will take over the position from Arthur Brouwer, as of November 1.
Niels joined the Heesen Yachts team in 2012 as Finance Manager after working at PwC for eight years. The following year, the board appointed him as the CFO which is the position he still currently holds. Supervisory Board Chairman Anjo Joldersma will also be heading for retirement on November 1, with Adse de Kock as the new Supervisory Board Chairman.
“Upon my retirement, I had the privilege to work in many different and interesting industries. Yachting is an exciting business, and it seems to be the perfect sector for ending my active career. I am leaving a healthy company with a robust and well-organized structure in good hands. Heesen needs a CEO with good industry knowledge, a well-connected network, and a deep understanding of the shipbuilding process and the commercial dynamics. Niels and I worked closely together for many years and have overcome some challenges. I am proud of the results we have accomplished. I wish Niels, Rick van de Wetering, Mark Cavendish and the whole team fair winds and following seas.”
Heesen’s current CEO, Arthur Brouwer
Heesen’s current CEO, Arthur Brouwer has been leading Heesen since 2014 including navigating the team through the many challenges posed throughout the COVID-19 pandemic and the conflict in Ukraine.
“I feel honored to be entrusted with this responsibility, and I am grateful for the knowledge and insight I have gained while working with Arthur and Anjo. I would like to thank them for the passion and work they have put into our company for all these years. I am excited to contribute to the future successes of our shipyard, which is renowned for building ultra-technological superyachts. We are committed to investing in research and development to ensure that we continue to deliver the most innovative and reliable products to our clients. As one of the largest employers in Noord-Brabant, we will continue to collaborate with our local community and contribute to the development of our region. Our worldwide success has deep roots in our hometown and is the result of great teamwork by our highly-skilled people.”
Niels Vaessen, Heesen’S NEW CEO, shared on the appointment.
Heesen currently has a healthy order book of 15 yachts with deliveries up until 2027. “Brouwer leaves a healthy company with an annual turnover of approximately 200 million Euros.”