One of the world’s richest people, Vagit Alekperov, was the billionaire boss of not just the oil giant Lukoil but also of the luxury Dutch shipbuilder Heesen Yachts. Following the international sanctions against Russian oligarchs, the yacht builder confirmed that one of its Ultimate Beneficial Owners (UBOs), namely Alekperov, was sanctioned by the UK. It now took a step further, distancing itself entirely from the Russian billionaire.
By the end of April, Alekperov had officially stepped down as the CEO of Lukoil, Russia’s second-largest oil company. He was also one of the UBOs of Heesen, one of the most reputable luxury yacht builders in the world, having delivered some of the most famous award-winning superyachts out there.
When the sanctions were announced, two of the company’s supervisory board members, Pavel Novoselov and Pavel Sukhoruchkin, stepped down from their positions, and the Dutch builder even stated that one of its current UBOs “publicly called for an end to the war,” referring to Alekperov. At the same time, it emphasized that it only reports directly to Morcell Ltd, the only shareholder and that the UK sanctions against Alekperov would not affect it since it’s a Dutch-registered company.
However, it looks like that wasn’t the end of it. The company’s shares were recently transferred to an independent Dutch foundation, whose Board consists of Arthur Brouwer and Anjo Joldersma.
According to Yacht Harbour, this move confirms the fact that Heesen reverted to 1005 Dutch ownership, also reinforcing that it’s “financially healthy” and that none of the employees at its Oss and Winterswijk facilities will be affected.
However, despite this official distancing from the Russian-Azerbaijani mogul, a strong link will keep them connected – the brand’s flagship, currently undergoing finishing work at one of its shipyards, happens to be Alekperov’s future luxury toy.
While his other superyacht made it to Russia, stealthily avoiding being seized, the 265-foot (80 meters) Galactica is also safe from authorities, as long as it stays put at the Dutch shipyard. Unlike many other oligarchs, Alekperov got to keep not just one but two superyachts. In return, he lost his positions at Lukoil and Heesen Yachts – whether that’s definitive, only time will tell.
When the sanctions were announced, two of the company’s supervisory board members, Pavel Novoselov and Pavel Sukhoruchkin, stepped down from their positions, and the Dutch builder even stated that one of its current UBOs “publicly called for an end to the war,” referring to Alekperov. At the same time, it emphasized that it only reports directly to Morcell Ltd, the only shareholder and that the UK sanctions against Alekperov would not affect it since it’s a Dutch-registered company.
However, it looks like that wasn’t the end of it. The company’s shares were recently transferred to an independent Dutch foundation, whose Board consists of Arthur Brouwer and Anjo Joldersma.
According to Yacht Harbour, this move confirms the fact that Heesen reverted to 1005 Dutch ownership, also reinforcing that it’s “financially healthy” and that none of the employees at its Oss and Winterswijk facilities will be affected.
However, despite this official distancing from the Russian-Azerbaijani mogul, a strong link will keep them connected – the brand’s flagship, currently undergoing finishing work at one of its shipyards, happens to be Alekperov’s future luxury toy.
While his other superyacht made it to Russia, stealthily avoiding being seized, the 265-foot (80 meters) Galactica is also safe from authorities, as long as it stays put at the Dutch shipyard. Unlike many other oligarchs, Alekperov got to keep not just one but two superyachts. In return, he lost his positions at Lukoil and Heesen Yachts – whether that’s definitive, only time will tell.