Yacht builders of Italy and the NetherlandsFor RMK Yachts · teams on LinkedIn, 21 October 2026

Moonen Yachts

Netherlands · 's-HertogenboschGrade A+24 of 40

's-Hertogenbosch yard building 34 to 40 m steel yachts on speculation, owned by an Australian couple since the 2019 bankruptcy.

1981
Founded
Matthew and Louise Baxter, since 2019
Owner
not published
Revenue
up to 6 yachts
In build
34 to 40 m
Range
Semi-custom steel series; IYC sells
Model

What happened, 2023 to 2026

  1. Dec 2024MoneyFive years of the Baxters: two-year warranty, CNC and facility investment
  2. 2025Top seatTechnical director Nicky van Zon becomes managing director
  3. Sep 2025Build40 m Moonen 133 Mallorca, the largest model, revealed
  4. Oct 2025BuildSeventh Martinique, Ad Astra, delivered
  5. Jun 2026BuildEighth Martinique delivered; ninth sold for 2027
  6. Oct 2026BuildTenth Martinique hull and superstructure joined

What it adds up to. A rescued yard that builds one proven model again and again; the engineer who ran the floor now runs the company.

Who runs it

  1. Chairperson, Moonen (owner)
  2. Managing Directorsince 2025
  3. Head of Marketingsince 2025
  4. Head of mechanicssince 2002
  5. Head of interior departmentsince 2008
  6. Head of interior engineeringsince 2022
  7. HR and Head of Financesince 2019

Organisation. Owner couple abroad; technical director promoted to managing director

What it shows for a new yard. Owners abroad, an engineer promoted to managing director, sales outsourced to a broker.

Former leaders now elsewhere3 people who held a top or senior seat here

  1. now Founder at DutchFlows BV
  2. now Manager Production at Mercury Yacht Construction BV (an Oceanco Company)
  3. now Eigenaar at Victor Caminada B.V.

The top team as read on LinkedIn20 people read as staff, October 2026

Top seat
Senior layer · 5

Sales and marketing 1

Engineering and design 1

Production and operations 2

Finance, legal and IT 1

Managers · 3

Projects, service and after-sales 1

Purchasing and supply chain 1

People 1

10 more people read as staff below manager level: see them in the directory.

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 Moonen Yachts1 in the pools; the shortlisted first, then by tier and score

Nicky van Zon

Managing Director at Moonen Yachts · Tilburg, Netherlands
Hybrid commercial-technicalPossible matchBenchmark leaderAt Moonen Yachts
140of 200
* Commercial leadership30%Managing Director @ Moonen Yachts (Nov 2025 – Present)
* Yacht network20%Member @ Young Professionals in Yachting
* Technical and pricing20%Technical Director @ Moonen Yachts (Jun 2020 – Present)
* Business building20%Project Manager @ Moonen Yachts (Jul 2014 – Jun 2020)
Leadership maturity10%Eighteen years at one yard

Reading. Managing Director since Nov 2025 while keeping the Technical Director title he has held since 2020; project manager 2014-2020, assistant project manager from 2008; naval architecture bachelor plus a business-law master. The brief's example of a technical director promoted to the top seat, at a 30-person yard owned by a private couple. One year in the seat.

Career

  • Managing Director · Moonen Yachts Nov 2025 – Present
  • Technical Director · Moonen Yachts Jun 2020 – Present
  • Project Manager · Moonen Yachts Jul 2014 – Jun 2020
  • Assistant Project Manager · Moonen Shipyards Jan 2008 – Aug 2014
  • Member · Young Professionals in Yachting Jan 2017 – Jun 2020
  • Tekenaar/werkvoorbereider · Snijtechniek Brabant B.V. 2005 – Dec 2007

Education

Tilburg University Master of Laws (LLM) · Master Business law; Tilburg University Bachelor of Laws (LLB) · Business law; Hogeschool INHOLLAND Delft Bachelor of Science (BSc) · Scheepsbouwkunde/Naval architecture

LinkedIn profile ·

Facts and news, with sourcesthe research behind the overview

Show the facts and the dated news with their sources

Identity

  • Full name: Moonen Yachts (legal entity Moonen Shipyards B.V. per SuperyachtNews directory, undated: ) source
  • Founded: 1981 (inferred: the company's own team page says Head of Finance and HR Getty Kok "started in 1981 when the company started"). source
  • Headquarters and yard: Graaf van Solmsweg 52F, 5222 BP 's-Hertogenbosch, the Netherlands. Deliveries take place at Hellevoetsluis. source 1 source 2
  • Ownership: private, owned by Australian couple Matthew and Louise Baxter since August 2019. They bought the yard out of bankruptcy: the previous owner, Mexican steel group Altos Hornos de México (AHMSA), had its accounts frozen after its chairman was arrested, and Moonen was declared bankrupt on 11 July 2019. source 1 source 2
  • Stake: not published; Matthew Baxter described as "director and shareholder" (2020-06-09). source
  • Sales: exclusive global sales partnership with brokerage IYC. source
  • Sister brands: none.

Size

  • Employees: not found. The owners say they cut staff after the 2019 takeover to keep a core team. source
  • Revenue: not found (private).
  • Boat International Global Order Book 2026: not in the top-builder table (Heesen is last listed at rank 19 with 434 m). source
  • Output: up to six yachts in various stages of build during 2024.

Product

  • Size range: 34 to 40 m. source
  • Hull material: steel only ("At Moonen we only build yachts with steel hulls"); Ad Astra is high-tensile steel. source
  • Build type: semi-custom series, often started on speculation (no full-custom line announced).
  • Models (2025-04-15, moonen.com)
    • Moonen 110 (Mustique), 34.04 m.
    • Moonen 122 Martinique, 37.4 m, the core series (exterior René van der Velden; naval architecture Diana Yacht Design)
    • Moonen 133 Mallorca, 40 m, the largest current model, revealed September 2025 () source
  • Notable deliveries 2023 to 2026.
    • Moonshine (122 Martinique), sea trials July 2024; length 37.4 m assumed from series, not stated in source. source
    • Ad Astra (YN205), 37.4 m, 7th Martinique, October 2025. source
    • Lollipop, 37.4 m, 8th Martinique, delivered to American owners June 2026. source
  • In build: 9th Martinique YN207 (sold December 2025, delivery January 2027) and 10th Martinique YN208 (delivery June 2027). source 1 source 2

Leadership

  • Owners: Matthew Baxter and Louise Baxter — as of 2025-04-15. source
  • Managing Director: Nicky van Zon (joined 2008; Technical Director from 2020; Managing Director from 2025) — as of 2026-10-21 (team page accessed). source
  • Head of Finance and HR: Getty Kok — as of 2026-10-21. Same source.
  • Head of Marketing: Femke Verheijen — as of 2026-10-21. Same source.
  • Global Sales Representatives (IYC): Matthew Stone (USA) and Richard Gray (UK) — as of 2026-10-21. Same source.
  • Former Managing Director: Marianne Hendriks (appointed 2019, confirmed in 2020 team announcement); Johan Dubbelman, Commercial Director from 2020-06. source

News 2023 to 2026

  1. 2026-10

    Hull and superstructure joined on the 10th Moonen 122 Martinique (YN208).moonen.com

  2. 2026-06

    8th Martinique, Lollipop, delivered to American owners; debuts at Monaco Yacht Show September 2026.yachtbuyer.com

  3. 2025-12

    9th Martinique (YN207) sold to an American family, delivery January 2027.denisonyachtsales.com

  4. 2025

    Nicky van Zon becomes Managing Director (year only, from the company team page).moonen.com

  5. 2025-10

    Delivery of Ad Astra, 7th Martinique, started on speculation in April 2023 and sold during the build.boatinternational.com

  6. 2025-09

    Moonen reveals the 40 m Moonen 133 Mallorca, its largest current model.yachtbuyer.com

  7. 2024-12

    Owners Matthew and Louise Baxter mark five years: two-year warranty, investment in CNC machines and facilities, IYC as exclusive sales partner, focus kept at 34 to 40 m.moonen.com

← Damen Yachting · AmelsFeadship →