YYachts appoints Sven Göbel as new CEO

German shipyard YYachts has announced the appointment of Sven Göbel as Chief Executive Officer, succeeding Christian Möller, who has stepped down from the role for personal reasons.

Göbel joins YYachts with a strong background in industrial engineering, having graduated from the Technical University of Darmstadt with a focus on mechanical engineering. He brings extensive experience from both commercial and technical leadership roles in production-based industries, and will now take charge of finance, production and procurement at the shipyard. 

“I’m extremely excited and proud to be joining YYachts,” said Göbel. “This innovative shipyard, with its disruptive mindset, is setting new standards in modern yacht building. We have a clear path forward and I am confident that we will continue to grow in the years ahead.”

While the CEO transition marks a significant shift, founder Michael Schmidt will remain closely involved with the business. His renewed focus will be on product development and enhancing the overall customer experience, particularly from the owner’s point of view, an approach that has long defined the brand’s ethos. Tijl Hetterschijt will continue to lead the sales and marketing division.

Schmidt expressed confidence in Göbel’s appointment: “Sven has longstanding experience in managing a shipyard in a similar position and will bring YYachts with his expertise into the next step of development.”

YYachts has steadily grown its international reputation for building carbon sailing yachts above 24 metres. According to SuperYacht iQ, YYachts currently has a 25.99-metre Y8 sailing yacht currently in-build, with an expected delivery date of 2025.