Heesen Yachts has expanded its global commercial operation with the appointment of three senior industry professionals as the Dutch superyacht builder prepares for the autumn yacht show season.
Folkert Schoots, Sipke Halbertsma and Roxane Ducruet join Heesen in senior commercial roles, strengthening the shipyard’s direct representation across Europe, the Americas and the Middle East.
The appointments come following a period of investment and development under Heesen’s new Dutch ownership and are designed to bring the shipyard closer to yacht owners, brokers, captains and other key stakeholders in its principal markets.
Heesen expands commercial presence across key markets
Folkert Schoots has been appointed Commercial Director and will be based at Heesen’s headquarters in Oss, Netherlands.
Schoots brings more than 14 years of experience with a major Dutch full-custom superyacht builder. His background covers several areas of the yacht lifecycle, including marketing, new-build sales, refit and service, as well as resale.
His position at the Oss shipyard places him close to Heesen’s production and engineering operations, while giving him responsibility for strengthening the company’s wider commercial activities.
Sipke Halbertsma takes up the role of Commercial Director – America, based at Heesen’s Florida office.
He will oversee Heesen’s commercial activity across the United States and South America, two markets that remain strategically important to the global superyacht sector.
Halbertsma brings more than 12 years of experience with another leading Dutch superyacht builder. His role will provide a direct connection between clients and advisers in the Americas and Heesen’s shipbuilding operation in Oss.
Meanwhile, Roxane Ducruet joins Heesen as Sales Director – Monaco.
Based in the Monaco office, Ducruet brings almost a decade of experience in the Monaco yachting market and an established network of relationships across the region.
She will work alongside Lyam Last, who is already active in Monaco as Sales Manager.
Middle East representation remains in place
Heesen’s commercial structure also retains its established presence in the Middle East.
Hisham Abushakra remains the shipyard’s designated Sales Agent in Dubai, continuing a long-standing relationship with Heesen and maintaining representation in one of the industry’s important regional markets.
The resulting structure gives Heesen direct commercial representation in several of the world’s most significant superyacht centres.
For a builder operating in the highly competitive custom and semi-custom superyacht market, maintaining close relationships with brokers, owners and captains can be particularly important as new-build projects progress from initial discussions through design, construction, delivery and aftersales support.
A commercially important move ahead of the yacht shows
The timing of the appointments is significant.
The autumn calendar traditionally brings together much of the global superyacht industry, with major events providing opportunities for shipyards, brokers, designers, equipment suppliers and prospective owners to meet.
Having senior commercial representatives based in key markets allows Heesen to maintain a more consistent presence with clients rather than relying solely on short periods of activity around major yacht shows.
It also reflects the increasingly international nature of superyacht sales.
Although Heesen remains firmly rooted in the Netherlands, its prospective clients, brokers and advisers are distributed across multiple regions. A commercial structure spanning Oss, Florida, Monaco and Dubai gives the shipyard a presence closer to those networks.
Connecting commercial activity with shipyard operations
For yacht builders, the effectiveness of an international sales structure depends on more than geographical coverage.
Complex superyacht projects involve long sales cycles and substantial interaction between owners, brokers, naval architects, designers, engineers and shipyard teams. Commercial representatives therefore need to understand both the client-facing side of the business and the practical realities of yacht construction.
Heesen says the new team combines local market knowledge with an understanding of the shipyard and its engineering and craftsmanship.
CEO Jeroen van der Meer said the company enters the autumn yacht show season with an “highly experienced commercial team”, while emphasising that the focus remains on building reliable yachts and working closely with brokers and clients.
What the appointments mean for Heesen
The expansion provides Heesen with additional senior-level resources at a time when competition for new-build superyacht projects remains intense.
For brokers and prospective owners, having established commercial contacts in major yachting hubs can simplify communication with the shipyard and provide greater continuity during the early stages of a project.
For suppliers and subcontractors, a stronger commercial operation can also increase the shipyard’s visibility within international networks and potentially support future project development.
The appointments also underline the importance of regional expertise within the superyacht sector. The United States, Monaco and the Middle East each have distinct client bases, broker networks and commercial dynamics, making local knowledge increasingly valuable to global shipbuilders.
What happens next?
Heesen will enter the autumn yacht show season with the expanded commercial structure now in place.
The key test will be how effectively the new team converts its expanded geographical reach into client relationships, new-build opportunities and continued engagement with the broker community.
With Schoots operating from Oss, Halbertsma covering the Americas, Ducruet strengthening Monaco and Abushakra continuing in Dubai, Heesen now has senior commercial representation across several of the industry’s most important markets.
Boatbuilding News Analysis
Heesen’s latest appointments are more than a simple expansion of its sales team. They point to a wider strategy of putting experienced commercial leadership closer to the markets where superyacht clients, brokers and decision-makers are concentrated. As the autumn show season begins, the effectiveness of this structure will be closely watched — particularly in the highly competitive market for new-build Dutch superyachts.