Heesen Yachts in Oss is completely Dutch again. The yacht builder was handed over to an independent Dutch foundation this week. This means that the company has been ‘liberated’ from the Russian oligarch Vagit Alekperov. Heesen feared he would not survive the consequences of European sanctions because of the war in Ukraine.
At the end of last month, the company tried to get rid of the Russian to avoid sanctions. To speed things up, Heesen wanted to transfer all shares of the Russian into a new foundation.
Summons lost
That failed: an Amsterdam notary office does not want to cooperate. After summary proceedings, the judge ruled in favor of the notary’s office, which means, among other things, that Heesen can hardly get new equipment to build her yachts.
On Thursday, staff were told that the Russian is no longer involved with the company. In recent weeks, the ambiguities in the earlier proposal to the notary have been removed and a notary’s office was willing to cooperate in the transfer. The shares of the Russian owner have now been sold to the foundation. This foundation includes Dutch board members of Heesen Yachts.
Spokesman Matthijs Goes of Heesen Yachts could not say how much the Russian received for his shares in the Osse company. The former Russian owner has participated in the share sale from the start.
Friend of Putin
Heesen Yachts was owned by the wealthy Russian owner Vagit Alekperov, but wanted to get rid of him. Alekperov was formerly Deputy Minister for Oil in the Soviet Union and made a fortune with the oil company Lukoil he founded. Recently, the businessman stepped down as CEO of the company.
He is also seen as a friend of Putin. The company therefore feared the EU sanctions. To separate from him, Heesen wanted to transfer all shares of the Russian into a new foundation. But that failed initially.
Had Heesen Yachts not got rid of Alekperov, that would have meant a huge problem for the Osse yacht builder. According to the company itself, bankruptcy would have been inevitable and a thousand people would have ended up on the streets.
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