Heesen Yachts expands global commercial team ahead of show season
From left to right: Lyam Last, Sipke Halbertsma, Folkert Schoots, Roxane Ducruet, Hisham Abushakra
Heesen Yachts is expanding its senior commercial team ahead of the autumn show season. Folkert Schoots takes charge as commercial director, with Sipke Halbertsma joining as commercial director – America, and Roxane Ducruet joins Heesen’s Monaco office as sales director – Monaco.
The three senior commercial hires follow a period of significant investment and development under following Heesen’s acquisition by owner Laurens Last in April 2025.
Together with Heesen’s established team in Oss, the strengthened commercial team will provide direct representation across Europe, the Americas and the Middle East. Revered for its craftsmanship and luxury portfolio of yachts, Heesen recently unveiled its 72m Project Ananda ahead of 2030 delivery.
Heesen strengthens commercial teams in US and Monaco
New commercial director, based at the shipyard in Oss, Schoots brings more than 14 years’ experience with one of the Netherlands’ leading full-custom superyacht builders, and has worked across marketing, new-build sales, refit and service, and resale.
Dutchman Halbertsma will be based at Heesen’s Florida office. Covering the United States and South America, he offers extensive knowledge of one of the industry’s most active superyacht markets. Having spent more than 12 years at one of the world’s leading Dutch superyacht builders, Halbertsma will provide an experienced link between clients in the region and Heesen’s operations in Oss.
Ducruet boasts nearly a decade of experience in the Monaco yachting market, where she has built an established network of relationships across the sector. She joins Lyam Last, who is already active there as sales manager.
Hisham Abushakra remains Heesen’s designated sales agent in Dubai, continuing a long-standing relationship with the shipyard and an established presence in the Middle East market.
“We enter the autumn yacht show season with a highly experienced commercial team,” says Jeroen van der Meer, who was appointed CEO of Heesen Yachts in 2025. “Our focus remains exactly where it belongs: building reliable yachts and working alongside the brokers and clients who trust our engineering and craftsmanship. The global team is in place, and we are already hard at work.”
According to Heesen, by strengthening its presence in key markets, the shipyard can offer more direct support through professionals who combine local market knowledge with a deep understanding of the Heesen brand.
In July 2026, Heesen also appointed Eric Boers to the newly created role of director technical services & after sales.
