Despite having been a traditionally male-dominated industry thus far, there are many women who are breaking the mould and have been paving the way for the next generation of female yachting professionals.
One such woman is Hanneke Maljaars, UK Group Director and Senior Charter Broker at Ocean Independence. Hanneke has been working in yachting for over 20 years and has seen first-hand the changes and progress being made for women in the industry.
“I started working as a chief stewardess on board a yacht when I was 21, and quickly realised I wanted to learn more. So once ashore, I worked my way through the ranks of a few brokerage houses in a variety of roles, from marketing and HR, to sales and charter.”
Hanneke’s passion and determination has led her to become a well-established and respected woman in yachting. But it wasn’t always easy.
“As a woman in yachting, you have to work a little harder to prove yourself,” says Hanneke. “You have to be confident and assertive, but also approachable and personable. It’s a delicate balance, and one that I’ve, hopefully so far, managed to achieve through dedication and years of industry knowhow.”
Despite the challenges, she has achieved great success amassing a loyal client database and utilising her superb networking skills. Passionate about inspiring others to do the same, she notes: