Who is Frans Heesen?
He is the founder of Heesen Yachts. He was born in 1946. He is married to Petra. They have 3 children.
Plastic Industry
Frans Heesen started as entrepreneur in industrial plastics with companies as Halcoplast and Kunststoffen Industries Oss.
With his plastic companies, he had been building composite yachts for Jaguar Yachts. While he was looking for expansion for his companies.
Frans Heesen came along a bankrupt boat builder and purchased their production site.
Heesen Yachts
This was the basis for Heesen Yachts. The first order was the yacht Amigo for Dutch real estate developer Jo Roelof Zeeman, founder of Zeeman Vastgoed and the stock listed Nieuwe Steen Investments.
In 30 years’ time, Heesen Yachts became one of the most successful superyacht builders in the world.
Famous Yachts
Well-known yachts include the 50 knots yacht Octopussy, built for John Staluppi, Honey Money with a Versace interior, Alumercia – an explorer built for Dutch aluminum industrialist Marinus Boers -founder of Boal Aluminium, carrying a Toyota Landcruiser in the lazarette – and Lady Ingeborg, built for Dutch packaging entrepreneur Jan Kelders, founder of the AiroPack Group.
Semi-Custom Series
Lady Ingeborg was the start of a series of yachts in the 37 and 44 meters range for which Jan Kelders and Frans Heesen co-owned the intellectual property rights. In 2003 Heesen built another (30 meter) yacht for Jo Roelof Zeeman, also named Amigo.
Frans Heesen Net Worth
In 2008 Frans Heesen sold Heesen Yachts for EUR 175 million (which brings his net worth to more than US$ 200 million) to Russian billionaire Vagit Alekperov. Alekperov is president of Lukoil and owner of the 50 meter Heesen yacht Galactica.
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