Feadship’s Verkuyl elected SYBAss president
Feadship Royal Van Lent CEO Jan-Bart Verkuyl is to be the new SYBAss president. (Photo: Feadship)
Feadship Royal Van Lent CEO Jan-Bart Verkuyl will take over as president of the Superyacht Builders’ Association (SYBAss) following recent elections and board meetings.
Verkuyl succeeds Lürssen’s Michael Breman, who will remain on the board as past president.
The new vice-chair is Bas Peute of Vitters who will represent sailing yacht builders.
“I am honoured to take on the presidency of SYBAss and look forward to working with the board and our members to continue to advance the superyacht industry and address the challenges and opportunities that lie ahead,” said Verkuyl.
“I am committed to building on the strong foundation laid by my predecessors and ensuring SYBAss remains a leading voice in the maritime world. I also want to extend my sincere gratitude to Michael Breman and Theo Hooning for their exceptional leadership and tireless efforts in professionalising our industry through SYBAss.”
He added he is “particularly eager” to collaborate with Robert van Tol, who will become the new executive director.
“It is an absolute privilege to take on this exciting role,” said van Tol. “New builds are a key driver of innovation, maximising both opportunities and responsibilities that come with each new project to continuously move the needle, both for product and process. I look forward to working with such a prominent group of builders to ensure a resilient future.”
Michelle Jones of Delta Marine will continue as the association’s treasurer, while Giovanna Vitelli of Azimut|Benetti and Massimo Perotti of Sanlorenzo have also been re-elected to represent the members’ interests for the next three years.
Theo Hooning will step down as secretary general at the end of the year but continue as a non-executive board member.
Breman said: “It has been a privilege to represent SYBAss members since the association’s inception, and now it is time for fresh leadership.”
SYBAss was founded in 2007 and has grown into a leading advocacy group for the superyacht industry.
