Waalwijk builder of 25 to 48 m aluminium custom yachts, bought from its founder in 2024 and now led by a commercial CEO from Balk.
1967
Founded
Management buyout, yacht-owning family backs it
Owner
not published
Revenue
into 2028
Order book
25 to 48 m
Range
9,000 m2, seven halls
Yard
What happened, 2023 to 2026
Apr 2024OwnerFounder Wim van der Valk retires; management buyout
May 2025Build35 m LALABE launched; three design awards in 2026
Mar 2026Build39.9 m Shine launched, the largest yet
May 2026Build48 m Project ZEN in build for 2028
Jul 2026Top seatEvan Kortmann, CEO of Balk, becomes CEO; Enrico Theuns leaves
Oct 2026Build30 m Project NEXO concept with Phathom
What it adds up to. Two years after the founder left, the buyout group brought in a seller as CEO above the technical and commercial directors.
Who runs it
Chief Executive Officersince 2026
Commercial Directorsince 2010
Technical directorsince 2015
Financial controllersince 2024
Purchase managersince 2010
HR Managersince 2023
Organisation. Management buyout; commercial CEO over technical and commercial directors
What it shows for a new yard. The two-person model with a commercial CEO on top: the brief's alternative, one year into new ownership.
The top team as read on LinkedIn33 people read as staff, October 2026
A new CEO (Jul 2026, from Balk and yacht-logistics business development) over a Commercial Director in place since 2010, a Technical director since 2015 (promoted from production), a financial controller, an HR manager, a purchase manager and a bench of project leaders, several hired from Heesen and Damen in 2024-2026.
Van der Valk is the brief's 'entrepreneurial custom builder' case: a management buy-out in 2024 backed by a yacht-owning family, then a commercial CEO brought in from the next yard in 2026. The structure is the two-person model the brief sketches: a long-serving commercial director and a technical director from the floor, now under a CEO who sells. The LinkedIn roster is polluted by the Van der Valk hotel chain's namesakes, which the read removed.
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 Van der Valk Shipyard3 in the pools; the shortlisted first, then by tier and score
Evan Kortmann
Chief Executive Officer at Van der Valk Shipyard · Netherlands
* Yacht network20%Vice Director Sevenstar Yacht Transport @ Spliethoff
* Technical and pricing20%No evidence in the profile.
* Business building20%Chief Executive Officer @ Van der Valk Shipyard (Jul 2026 – Present); Managing Director @ WESHIPYACHTS.COM
Leadership maturity10%No evidence in the profile.
Reading. CEO since Jul 2026; CEO of Balk Shipyard from Jun 2026 and its Chief Commercial Officer 2023-2026, managing director of a yacht-shipping platform, business development at We Supply Yachts, Sevenstar yacht transport vice director; IMD. A commercial and business-development executive now holding two yard CEO titles in a year.
Career
Chief Executive Officer · Van der Valk Shipyard Jul 2026 – Present
Managing Director · WESHIPYACHTS.COM Aug 2018 – Feb 2022
Global Entrepeneurshipping · Nepa Group Aug 2017 – Feb 2022
Director Business Development · We Supply Yachts Oct 2017 – Jun 2018
Vice Director Sevenstar Yacht Transport · Spliethoff Feb 2015 – Jan 2017
European Director Flooring · Fetim Group Jan 2013 – Jan 2015
and 7 earlier roles
Education
IMD Building on Talent · Major; Coornhert Gymnasium
Languages
Dutch · Native or bilingual proficiency, English · Full professional proficiency, French · Elementary proficiency, German · Professional working proficiency
* Commercial leadership30%Commercial Director @ Van der Valk Shipyard (Aug 2010 – Present)
* Yacht network20%Member @ International Yacht Brokers Association
* Technical and pricing20%No evidence in the profile.
* Business building20%No evidence in the profile.
Leadership maturity10%No evidence in the profile.
Reading. Commercial director since Aug 2010, straight from his economics degree; member of the international yacht brokers' association. Fifteen years selling one yard's aluminium yachts.
Career
Commercial Director · Van der Valk Shipyard Aug 2010 – Present
Member · International Yacht Brokers Association (IYBA) May 2019 – Present
Member · Young Professionals in Yachting (YPY) The Netherlands Oct 2016 – Present
Bachelor of Economics · Hogeschool van Arnhem en Nijmegen Aug 2008 – Jun 2012
Board Member · YOB Society Sep 2009 – Aug 2010
Education
HAN University of Applied Sciences 4th · Small Business & Retail Management; Merlet College Secondary education - Discipline Economics and Society
Languages
Dutch · Native or bilingual proficiency, English · Professional working proficiency, French · Elementary proficiency, German · Professional working proficiency
Headquarters and yard: Waalwijk, the Netherlands; over 9,000 m2 of facilities; a seventh construction hall opened in November 2023. Same source (2024-04-20). A new construction hall was shown again in March 2025. source
Ownership: private, independent. In April 2024 founder Wim van der Valk (then 79) retired and sold his shares in a management buyout. The buyout was financed by an unnamed family of experienced yacht owners, who became the main shareholders; that family earlier ordered three Van der Valk yachts (LeVen, EDGE, Lady Lene). Stakes not published.
Wim van der Valk stays on as President Emeritus and adviser to the board. Same source.
Sister brands: none.
Size
Employees: not found.
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
Order book: runs into 2028 (Project ZEN, delivery Q2 2028). source
Product
Size range: 25 to 45 m; new flagship Project ZEN is 48 m. Stated focus (2026-07-06): "fully custom yachts between 200 and 500 GT". source 1source 2
Hull materials: aluminium for Shine (39.92 m). The yard pages read do not state the material for the whole range. source
Build type: fully custom and semi-custom motor yachts (2026-07-06, CEO announcement). Lines: Raised Pilothouse, Flybridge (the yard's first series model), Beachclub, Explorer, plus a concept portfolio (Project NEXO, 30 m, with Phathom, 2026-10-14). Which lines are semi-custom is not stated. source
Flagship: Project ZEN, 48 m, with Hull Vane, range over 4,400 nm, delivery Q2 2028. source
Notable deliveries 2023 to 2026.
Blue Jeans, 34 m raised pilothouse, delivered end of 2022 (shown January 2023). source
LALABE, 35 m, launched May 2025, debut at Cannes September 2025; three BOAT International Design and Innovation Awards and a World Superyacht Awards commendation 2026. source
Shine (ex Project EVO), 39.92 m aluminium, largest Van der Valk to date, delivered spring 2026.
Jangada, 35 m, launched November 2025, sea trials 2026; third successive build for the same owner.
Technical Director: Bram Kooltjes — as of 2026-07-06. Same source.
Commercial Director: Yoeri Bijker — as of 2026-07-06 (described as head of sales in 2024-04). Same source.
Former CEO: Enrico Theuns, led the company 2023 to 2026, stays several months for the handover — as of 2026-07-06. Same source.
President Emeritus and adviser to the board: Wim van der Valk (founder) — as of 2024-04-20. source
News 2023 to 2026
2026-10
Van der Valk unveils Project NEXO, a 30 m concept with Dutch studio Phathom.vandervalkshipyard.com
2026-07
Evan Kortmann appointed CEO, succeeding Enrico Theuns, who led the yard from 2023 in a planned three-year transition.vandervalkshipyard.com
2026-05
Season review: Shine delivered, Jangada sea trials, ONE sold, 48 m Project ZEN (delivery Q2 2028) and 30 m Project Berlin (delivery summer 2027) in build.vandervalkshipyard.com
Founder Wim van der Valk retires; management buyout backed by a yacht-owning family; new management Enrico Theuns, Bram Kooltjes, Yoeri Bijker.vandervalkshipyard.com
