The prestigious Middle Eastern luxury yacht builder, Gulf Craft, has announced the promotion of Erwin Bamps to the position of Chief Executive Officer of the company. This annoucement follows a meeting of the Board, that recognized Bamps’ sterling contribution to growing the company’s international scale as well as presence.

Erwin Bamps New Chief Executive Officer of Gulf Craft

Bamps joined Gulf Craft in 2002 as Executive Manager and has been instrumental in building the business and brand locally, regionally and internationally. He was promoted to Chief Operating Officer in 2009 and has been the driving force behind developing the enterprise from a family-owned company of 220 employees to a multinational with a global reach and reputation today, employing close to 2,000 people and operating in every major boating and yachting market worldwide.

“Erwin Bamps has spearheaded a period of intense growth for Gulf Craft and his energy, analytical approach and personal passion for the company has been largely responsible for his many accomplishments within the operation. The move to the position of Chief Executive Officer recognizes his contribution in making Gulf Craft the internationally-recognized company it is today and builds on the company’s ambitions to steer an even more successful path in the years to come,” said Mohammed AlShaali, Chairman of Gulf Craft.

A native of Belgium and a global citizen – having worked in Japan, Belgium and the Philippines prior to the UAE – Bamps experience in organizations that are strikingly multicultural and multinational has served him well in achieving Gulf Craft’s expanding ambitions. Founded in 1982, Gulf Craft last year sailed into the list of the world’s Top 10 superyacht–building shipyards (as listed in the 2014 Global Order Book).

Commenting on his appointment, Bamps added: “I strongly believe in a flat managerial structure that stays close to the production and manufacturing floor – one that allows me to optimize our organizational assets and talents, recognize and anticipate market trends and capitalize on them. With relentless focus on shareholder return-on-investment, I credit employee loyalty, career building opportunity and a motivating work environment that rewards creativity as the keys to sustainable growth of a company – one that has the capability to keep fascinating people, both within and outside the organization.”