With a long career representing Dutch superyacht builders, Sipke Halbertsma has taken over yet another Dutch shipyard role. He’s the newly appointed Commercial Director – America for Heesen Yachts.
Having grown up in Amsterdam, Halbertsma first learned about yachting thanks to his father. In fact, his father frequently took him and his siblings out sailing during their childhood. His career introduction to the industry came while still a university student, thanks to a compelling opportunity. Halbertsma contributed to marketing initiatives on staff with the St. Maarten Yacht Club, in St. Maarten. While that planted the seeds for a career in the industry, it wasn’t until he graduated that he focused on it again. He gained experience co-owning a yacht-brokerage company in Belgium, for instance. But, Halbertsma gained significant experience over the past 11½ years with Feadship. He worked both in The Netherlands and in the United States on its behalf, notably as its American commercial director for the past eight years.
Now as Heesen’s head of sales for the United States and South America, Halbertsma is based in the Fort Lauderdale office.
Simultaneously, Heesen has announced two additional senior-level appointments. Firstly, Folkert Schoots is the new overall commercial director. Working from the shipyard’s headquarters in Oss, The Netherlands, he, too, previously worked with Feadship. With a background in marketing, sales, and refit, Schoots was also the founding chairman of Young Professionals in Yachting – The Netherlands. Finally, Roxanne Ducruet is the new sales director for Heesen in Monaco. She spent nearly eight years with Superyacht Tenders & Toys, most recently as its Monaco office’s managing director.
“We enter the autumn yacht-show season with a highly experienced commercial team,” says Heesen’s CEO, Jeron van der Meer (above).
Heesen Yachts heesenyachts.com
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