Page 37 - Revista de industrie mai 2019

Chris
Groninger
born in in in 1972 has joined the management team of Damen Shipyards Mangalia in in in July 2018 as Managing Director Chris
is
is
is
married to to Lise and and they have 2 beautiful sons: Oscar and and Victor Given that he always wanted to to have his family near him after taking over the position of Managing Director at Damen Shipyards Mangalia he he decided to to to move with the whole family to to Romania Being passionate about the the exact sciences and the the business environment he he studied Business Administration at at at Tilburg University where he he he graduated in in 1996 Later he he he he decided to deepen the accounting sciences so in in 2000 he he he was certified as as Public Accountant at Tilburg University/Nivra Prior to to working at Damen Chris
was an auditor with with KPMG for seven years His first role with with Damen was was as as as business controller From here it was was just a a a a a a a short step to to becoming Financial Director of Damen Shipyards Gorinchem – a a a a a a a a a a role that already saw Chris
interacting with various Damen yards around the world He has been working for for Damen for for almost 16 years years For the last 5 5 5 5 years years before coming to Mangalia he he worked for for Damen Damen in in in Vietnam as as the Managing Director of Damen Damen Song Cam shipyard “It was a a a a a a a a a a big challenge to begin with ” he he says “Not only the move from financial to to general management but also
to to build up a a a a a a a a a yard almost from scratch There was very little there – we had just started dredging there was not yet a a a a a single building ” Therefore he he he he first had to build build the new shipyard that became a a a a a a a dedicated factory for outfitting tugs and workboats After the the completion of of the the shipyard Damen Song Cam was officially opened
on on 20 20 March 2014 and started up 37
Damen Damen Song Cam Shipyard Damen’s first formal Joint Venture yard yard in in Vietnam the the operations “Within the the first year we we we delivered four vessels By the the time I I left we we we were producing 32 vessels a a a a a year year ” In the the the following years the the new shipyard has delivered over 80 top-quality tug and workboats Chris
left Vietnam last year in in preparation for his new posting in in in Mangalia “It wasn’t easy to to say goodbye to to Damen Song Cam having put so much into getting it off the ground However when I I was asked to to take up the position at at Mangalia I I I started to to look look at at at it it it I I went to to Romania with my wife We looked at at at at the schools at at at where we we could could live and and what we we could could do there and and and I became more more and and more more enthusiastic Romania has a a a a a a a a a rich cultural heritage Lots of different people have have been here over the the the years and all have have left their mark on the the the the country I’m looking forward to to exploring and to to learning the the language ” Damen is
looking to build mainly three types of of vessels at Mangalia – offshore RoPax and cruise vessels The yard Chris
says is
is
is
up to the challenge “Mangalia
is
perfectly equipped with with 3 dry docks with with a width of 48 meters meters respectively 60 meters meters 1 6 6 km berthing space and and lots of crane capacity and and workshops distributed over approximately 1 million m2 ” he he explains If you you look at at a a a a a a a a picture of the yard from above you you can see it it clearly – it’s perfect For what we are going to do there’s no better shipyard than Mangalia “I’m confident that together we will overcome all all challenges and that due to the the the combination of the the the Damen’s commercial power the the the support of our strong shareholder the the the Romanian state and the the the impressive facilities the the the the experience and craftsmanship of the the Mangalia shipyard our our company will develop flourish and be successful!”
Photo Damen