OMAYA Yachts appoints Jean Paul Vaele as head of commercial to drive international growth
by Omaya Yachts 19 Aug 02:25 PDT
OMAYA Yachts, the premium European power catamaran brand, has appointed experienced commercial strategist Jean Paul Vaele as its new head of commercial, strengthening the company's leadership team as it enters its next phase of international growth.
Vaele brings more than 25 years of commercial experience to the role, having served as an exclusive distributor for Burton Snowboards across the Benelux countries, before moving into interim sales and business development director positions across a range of sectors, including design furniture, industrial solar panel systems and electric marine technology.
His marine experience includes working with electric boat manufacturer X Shore, as well as commercial roles with PWR eFoils, Green Power Boats, which develops fully electric passenger catamarans, and Crooze Yachts.
With a lifelong passion for being on the water, Vaele's move into the marine industry was a natural progression. His journey into the sector began after being approached by the founder of X Shore, an opportunity which allowed him to combine his commercial expertise with his longstanding passion for life on the water.
Joining OMAYA at a pivotal moment in its growth, Vaele will lead the brand's commercial expansion and strengthen its position in the premium power catamaran market. Commenting on his appointment he said, "OMAYA has all the ingredients to become one of the leading boutique brands in the premium power catamaran market. The combination of contemporary European design, exceptional build quality, competitive manufacturing capabilities and a strong value proposition gives the brand a very strong foundation from which to grow internationally.
"What excites me most is the opportunity to build those foundations and work alongside a devoted team to achieve the targets we have set for OMAYA. My vision is for OMAYA to establish itself as a Premium European Boutique Builder, offering European craftsmanship, contemporary luxury, intelligent innovation, exceptional living space, personalised ownership and sustainable long-term value," he continued.
Vaele's appointment comes as OMAYA continues to build its presence in the global premium power catamaran market. As part of its longer-term commercial strategy, OMAYA will explore opportunities across new international markets while developing its dealer network and future initiatives.
Talking of the new appointment, CEO of OMAYA Yachts, Kaloyan Radulov said "Jean Paul brings a wealth of international commercial experience, a deep understanding of the marine sector and, importantly, a genuine passion for the boating lifestyle. His experience across both established brands and emerging electric marine businesses gives him a valuable perspective as we continue to develop OMAYA.
"We are at an exciting stage in the company's journey, and strengthening our commercial leadership is an important step as we build our international presence and continue to establish OMAYA as a leading power catamaran builder. Jean Paul shares our ambition for the brand and our commitment to creating an exceptional ownership experience, and we are delighted to welcome him to the team." Kaloyan concluded.
With customers increasingly seeking larger living spaces, stability, efficiency and the ability to spend longer periods on board, the power catamaran segment continues to offer strong opportunities for growth. At the same time, expectations are evolving beyond the yacht itself, with owners placing greater emphasis on aftersales support, digital connectivity, personalised service and a sense of community.
Vaele's appointment is designed to help OMAYA capitalise on these trends and build a distinctive global proposition centred not only on the yacht, but on the complete ownership experience.