“As a long term strategy of continuous exchange between the yards on all levels it was since the beginning planned to rotate the leadership at some suitable time in the future. The acute situation caused by the corona crisis will require and lead to major changes on all yards. As these changes and new structures will be implemented, it is now a good timing to carry out a family internal leadership switch between Jan and Tim”, says Bernard Meyer, chairman of Meyer Turku Oy and managing director of Meyer Werft.

It is also the goal of the switch to ensure continuous improvement by changing perspectives and defining the future structure of the Meyer production network. With the change, CEO Tim Meyer will move to Turku.

“The three yards in Papenburg, Turku and Warnemünde are already working closely together. We are learning from each other by implementing knowledge and experience of all locations. Already today, we are seeing the benefits of this cooperation. The exchange of people between the locations is essential and a success factor for the future. During my six years in Turku, my family and I have been very welcomed and supported here in Finland and we are very thankful for that. The time at the shipyard has been very intensive and personally inspiring, we have made many changes and investments, faced and made through many challenges together with our teams and partners. And still some further challenges are remaining – especially with this new situation. Through the cross-site collaboration, I will also in the future remain well connected and engaged with Turku.
We are now turning a new page at all our sites and need to seek also the opportunities in this crisis, implement many changes and at the same time strengthening our global functions, hence I am looking forward to push that change in Papenburg while staying involved with Turku through our cross-site collaboration”, CEO Jan Meyer states.

“I feel excited to get to work even more closely together with the shipbuilders and partners in Turku and of course also to get to know Finland and its people personally. We are encouraging an exchange between the yards on all levels and want to act as role models here”, CEO Tim Meyer says.

The Corona crisis hits the cruise industry and consequently also the shipyards very hard. That is why still substantial and partially painful adjustments are needed.

“Our shipyard went through many different times. We have to be always aware: If we take the right and bold steps, taking into account our changes, we will emerge stronger from this crisis than before”, adds Bernard Meyer.