Vollenhove builder of the world's largest aluminium sailing yachts, 40 to 85 m, with its own rig maker Rondal, bought by Dutch investor O2 Capital in 2024.
1884
Founded
O2 Capital Partners, since Sep 2024
Owner
not published
Revenue
over 350
People
40 to 85 m sailing
Range
three yachts above 80 m
In build
What happened, 2023 to 2026
Sep 2024OwnerO2 Capital buys the group from Doeksen and Parcom
May 2025Build65 m ketch Aquarius delivered; Sailing Yacht of the Year 2026
Nov 2025Top seatPeter Naeyé, commercial director since 2020, is CEO; Jan Timmerman to the board
Mar 2026Build81 m Project 412 hull rolled out
Sep 2026Build85 m Project 410, the world's largest sloop, unveiled; launch November
Oct 2026BuildConstruction halls extended for the 80 m class
What it adds up to. A new investor, a commercial director promoted to CEO, and three 80 m-plus sailing yachts in build at once.
Who runs it
Top seatPeter Naeyé, CEO (per the press, Nov 2025; not on the LinkedIn roster)
Marketing Directorsince 2021
CFOsince 2019
General Manager New Buildsince 2025
General Manager Refit & Service, Royal Huismansince 2022
Supervisory board member; CEO to Jan 2026since 2026
Chairman of the non-executive boardsince 2024
Organisation. Investor-owned; commercial director promoted to CEO
What it shows for a new yard. Investor-owned with the seller promoted to the top: the commercial-director-to-CEO path.
Former leaders now elsewhere7 people who held a top or senior seat here
now Managing Director at Arcadia Maritime Group
now General Manager at Mercury Yacht Construction BV (an Oceanco Company)
now CEO / Co-Owner at Fender Innovations B.V.
now Director Kaag Shipyard at Royal Van Lent Shipyard
now Sales Manager Yacht Refit - Damen Shiprepair & Conversion at Damen
now Managing Director VT Shipping Panama at VT Group
now Director Design & Development at Wajer Yachts
The top team as read on LinkedIn9 people read as staff, October 2026
CEO (new under the 2024 private-equity owner) over a CFO, a Marketing Director covering the three brands (Royal Huisman, Huisfit, Rondal), a General Manager New Build, an innovation manager; a non-executive board chaired by a former offshore CEO.
The roster is thin for a 250-person yard: the vendor's manager tag found twelve people and missed the CEO and the sales seat. What shows is the shape after the O2 Capital buy-out: a professional board, a finance director from industry, marketing at director level across brands, and new-build run by a project manager promoted to general manager in 2025. Sailing-yacht specialists, so the client base and sales motion differ from the motor-yacht builders in the brief.
Senior layer · 6
General management 2
Sales and marketing 1
Projects, service and after-sales 2
Finance, legal and IT 1
Managers · 3
Engineering and design 1
Production and operations 1
Finance, legal and IT 1
Seats and dates are as the people describe them on LinkedIn; a person who moved in the last months can still show the old seat. Tap a person for the profile and the reading.
Candidates at Royal Huisman3 in the pools; the shortlisted first, then by tier and score
Jan Timmerman
Supervisor & Advisor/Interim at Self-employed · Zwolle, Netherlands
* Commercial leadership30%No evidence in the profile.
* Yacht network20%No evidence in the profile.
* Technical and pricing20%No evidence in the profile.
* Business building20%CEO @ Royal Huisman (2018 – Jan 2026)
Leadership maturity10%President & Managing Director @ Euramax; Sr. Vice President @ Philips Lighting
Reading. CEO of Royal Huisman through the 2018-2025 rebuild, now on its supervisory board; Euramax president, Philips Lighting SVP. Mechanical engineer. An industrial CEO who has run a Dutch yard; likely over 60 and in a non-executive phase.
Career
Supervisor & Advisor/Interim · Self-employed Jan 2026 – Present
Supervisor & Advisor/Interim · Jan 2026 – Present
Member of The Supervisory Board · Royal Huisman Jan 2026 – Present
CEO · Royal Huisman Aug 2018 – Jan 2026
President & Managing Director · Euramax May 2014 – Aug 2018
Sr. Vice President & Managing Director · Euramax Jan 2013 – Apr 2014
Sr. Vice President & Managing Director · Euramax Oct 2010 – Dec 2012
Sr. Vice President Consumer Lighting Solutions EMEA · Philips Lighting Jul 2008 – Oct 2010
and 4 earlier roles
Education
University of Twente Master of Science · Mechanical Engineering; Universiteit Twente Master of Science (M.Sc.) · Mechanical Engineering
* Technical and pricing20%Manager Design & Engineering @ Royal Huisman; Manager Naval Architecture/Structural @ Feadship - De Voogt
* Business building20%General Manager Refit & Service @ Royal Huisman (Jul 2022 – Present)
Leadership maturity10%No evidence in the profile.
Reading. General manager of Royal Huisman's refit and service business since Jul 2022 after manager design and engineering; manager naval architecture at De Voogt (Feadship) 2013-2017; salvage master and commercial manager at Svitzer before. Naval architect.
Career
General Manager Refit & Service · Royal Huisman Jul 2022 – Present
Manager Design & Engineering · Royal Huisman Nov 2017 – Aug 2022
Manager Naval Architecture/Structural Engineering · Feadship - De Voogt Naval Architects Jul 2013 – Nov 2017
Operations manager Salvage · Svitzer Jun 2010 – Jul 2013
Salvage Master · Svitzer Salvage 2003 – 2008
Commercial manager · Svitzer Salvage Apr 2003 – Feb 2006
* Commercial leadership30%No evidence in the profile.
* Yacht network20%No evidence in the profile.
* Technical and pricing20%General Manager New Build @ Royal Huisman (Jun 2025 – Present)
* Business building20%Projectmanager @ Vitters Shipyard (Feb 2007 – Aug 2021)
Leadership maturity10%Project manager on custom sailing yachts since 2000
Reading. Since Jun 2025; project manager at Royal Huisman from 2021, at Vitters 2007-2021 and Holland Jachtbouw before. Runs new-build delivery for sailing superyachts.
Career
General Manager New Build · Royal Huisman Jun 2025 – Present
Projectmanager · Royal Huisman Sep 2021 – Present
Projectmanager · Vitters Shipyard Feb 2007 – Aug 2021
Projectmanager · Holland Jachtbouw BV Aug 2000 – Jan 2007
Facts and news, with sourcesthe research behind the overview
Show the facts and the dated news with their sources
Identity
Full name: Royal Huisman Shipyard (group name: Royal Huisman Group). source
Founded: 1884, in Ronduite, as a builder of wooden workboats; received the "Royal" title in 1984 at its 100th anniversary. source
Headquarters: Vollenhove, the Netherlands (30,000 m² yard). source
Yard locations: Vollenhove (new build); deep-water site in the Amsterdam region (former Holland Jachtbouw yard in Zaandam, 12,000 m², long-term lease from the Port of Amsterdam since 2019), used for Huisfit refits and for launching large new builds. source 1source 2
Ownership: private. O2 Capital Partners, a Dutch long-term investor led by Philip Sluiter, bought the group; announced 2024-07-31, completed early September 2024. Stake not disclosed. Sellers: Koninklijke Doeksen and Parcom (shareholders for about 10 years). source
Employees: "over 350" people, company statement (royalhuisman.com, undated page; same figure in a 2024 yacht.de article). source 1source 2
Revenue: not found (private company).
Global Order Book position: not found. BOATPro (2025-11) says the yard has two 80 m plus superyachts in build. source
Product
Focus: large sailing superyachts, roughly 40 m to 85 m plus; in 2026 three yachts above 80 m are in build (Project 410, 85 m; Project 411, 81 m; Project 412, 81 m). source
Hull material: aluminium (the yard moved to aluminium hulls in 1964); carbon rigs from Rondal. source
Build type: mainly full custom. Semi-custom element: the Trident 810 series (81 m), which the yard says shortens build time while keeping a bespoke yacht; Project 412 is hull 2 (hull 1 delivered 2020). Ready-to-build concept "Sky" (81 m, 93 m Rondal mast, delivery 2030 from sale) shown 2025-11. source 1source 2
Also builds motor yachts on occasion: the 2024 sale announcement mentions "the world's largest sportfish yacht" in its portfolio. source
Notable deliveries 2023–2026.
Aquarius, 65 m ketch, launched 2024-10, delivered 2025-05; World Superyacht Awards "Sailing Yacht of the Year" 2026. source 1source 2
Project 410, 85 m sloop (Frers Design), world's largest single-mast sailing yacht; launch planned 2026-11 near Amsterdam. source
Leadership
CEO: Peter Naeyé, as of 2026-10-01 (Boat International) and 2026-09-23 (company release). Called "new CEO" on 2026-03-19; already CEO on 2025-11-11. source 1source 2source 3
Previous CEO: Jan Timmerman, CEO from 2018-08-01; still CEO of Royal Huisman Group as of 2024-07-31. source 1source 2
Peter Naeyé joined as Commercial Director (Royal Huisman new build and Huisfit), as of 2020-07; later Chief Commercial Officer. source
Owner representative: Philip Sluiter, owner of O2 Capital Partners, as of 2024-07-31.
News 2023 to 2026
2026-10
Project 410 nears launch; the project drove extensions to Construction Hall 2 and the Advanced Composites Hall in Vollenhove.boatinternational.com
2026-09
Royal Huisman unveils the 85 m Project 410 at the Monaco Yacht Show.royalhuisman.com
2026-05
Aquarius wins "Sailing Yacht of the Year" at the World Superyacht Awards.royalhuisman.com
2026-03
Hull of Project 412 (81 m, Trident 810 hull 2) rolls out; Peter Naeyé quoted as "new CEO".boatinternational.com
2025-11
Yard launches the ready-to-build 81 m "Sky" concept with a 93 m mast, billed as the world's tallest.boatinternational.com
Project 412, an 80 m plus yacht for a returning owner, first announced.boatinternational.com
2024-07
O2 Capital Partners agrees to buy Royal Huisman Group (Royal Huisman, Rondal, Huisfit) from Koninklijke Doeksen and Parcom; completed early September 2024; management unchanged.royalhuisman.com
