Jan-Bart Verkuyl

Your future is shaped less by the opportunities you receive and more by the opportunities you dare to create.

Jan-Bart Verkuyl is CEO of Royal Van Lent Shipyard, one of the founding yards of Feadship and a global leader in custom superyacht construction. With a background in engineering, operations, and executive leadership, he has spent more than two decades helping build some of the world’s most complex and innovative yachts. Today, he leads Royal Van Lent through a period of international growth, technological innovation, and sustainability transformation. Beyond his role as CEO, Jan-Bart is actively involved in the wider maritime industry through SYBAss, representing the interests and future development of the Dutch superyacht sector. His leadership philosophy centers on craftsmanship, continuous learning, and creating opportunities by embracing challenges rather than avoiding them.

Who or what provided your possibilities?

My own “Port of Possibilities” was not a place, but a mindset. Early in my career I learned that growth happens when you step outside your comfort zone and take on challenges before you feel completely ready. Every major opportunity I received, from operational leadership roles to becoming CEO, started with someone giving me trust and me being willing to accept responsibility. The maritime industry itself has been my port of possibilities. It combines technology, entrepreneurship, international business, teamwork, and craftsmanship at the highest level. Working alongside talented colleagues, customers, and partners from around the world taught me that opportunities rarely emerge from certainty. They emerge from curiosity, collaboration, and the courage to keep learning.