May 1, 2025
Alongside its reputation for penning groundbreaking yachts, Vripack Yacht Design is renowned for building solid, lasting, and meaningful relationships. “Be it with owners, captains, shipyards or colleagues, investing in people has long been an integral part of our studio’s DNA,” says co-creative director Bart Bouwhuis. “It focuses the team, it drives innovation, and it begins with looking after our growing Vripack family.”
Tasked with developing and nurturing Vripack’s strong, professional relationships with past and present owners and captains, Caroline van Rijswijk de Jong, a Vripack employee of more than 18 years, has been appointed to the new role of ‘owner liaison’. Working in harmony with co-creative directors Marnix Hoekstra and Bart Bouwhuis, as well as Joost Mertens, fleet manager and partner, Caroline will be a valuable additon.
“We’re always looking at ways to improve the Vripack owner experience, and a big part of that is listening to feedback,” says Joost. “We are in regular contact with owners and captains through every stage of a live project but as soon as it’s complete it can sometimes feel like the end of a friendship. Caroline will be an invaluable asset as another point of contact to ensure our connections continue to grow long after the point of delivery.”
Caroline joined Vripack in 2007 working within PR and marketing and assisting the management team. In 2014, she moved across to the HR department where she honed her strong communication, interpersonal, and organisational skills. While the main point of contact for live projects remains with Vripack’s key design and technical team, Caroline’s role, which commences from May 2025, will see her attend boat shows, visit shipyards and be a trusted representative for Vripack’s fleet of 110 active yachts.
“The most important aspect of this role is to develop and maintain robust and meaningful relationships following a yacht delivery, so that even after a yacht sails away our connection remains strong,” says Caroline. “We care about our professional relationships and don’t believe the journey ends once a design or build is complete. My job is to ensure they know we’re still here for them, whether that’s to support, advise or just be a friendly voice that they can reach out to.”
“I’ve spent the past 11 years taking care of people internally, and with this new role, I’ll be transferring all that I’ve learned to a client-facing role,” she adds. “My strengths lie in listening, asking the right questions, and anticipating people’s needs, and I look forward to hearing from our captains and owners and further enhancing those connections.”
Commenting on Caroline’s appointment, Marnix says: “We’re excited to welcome Caroline to the role of owner liaison. We have always enjoyed the friendships that are formed during the design journey and will never stop being available for our owners.”
