Further changes are being made to the management structure at Hanseyachts AG in Greifswald. Holger Passauer, who was initially appointed as CFO in December 2025, is now the sole member of the Executive Board. The company has confirmed him in his Overview of corporate governance in this role.
Operational responsibilities have been reorganised: Maxim Neumann, as Chief Sales Officer (CSO), is in charge of sales and marketing. Neumann has been working for the shipyard group for many years and most recently held the position of Vice President of Sales, playing a prominent role, for example, in HanseYachts’ return to the boot Düsseldorf trade fair. Franz Zeiser takes on the role of Chief Technology Officer (CTO), heading up the technical division. According to the shipyard, he brings experience from production management roles in the international boat industry.
More responsibility shared between three people
Above all, these appointments mark a clearer division of responsibilities. Passauer is responsible for Hanseyachts AG as sole managing director; Neumann is to oversee sales and the international dealer network, whilst Zeiser is to be in charge of production and technical development. The Supervisory Board, newly appointed in the first quarter of 2026, includes its Chairman, Dr Hans Reichhart. The current six members are also listed on the Hanseyachts’ company website listed.
This move follows a turbulent change of leadership. At the end In December 2025, the YACHT had reported on the departure of the then managing director, Hanjo Runde. At the time, a new dual leadership structure comprising CFO Holger Passauer and a yet-to-be-appointed CEO had initially been announced. The structure now confirmed, with a single managing director, differs from this. This is also due to the change of ownership: in May 2025, the majority stake in the shipyard group was transferred to the entrepreneur Andreas Müller.
The shipyard group is not currently releasing any figures on turnover, profit and order intake. In its latest press releases, Hanseyachts refers to a positive trend, which is reflected in orders, turnover and profit. The extent to which this trend has improved compared with the previous year is not currently being disclosed.
Cannes as the first event on the calendar
For customers and retailers, the new range will be on display for the first time at the Cannes Yachting Festival from 8 to 13 September 2026 visible. The shipyard group has announced two world premieres there: the Hanse 461 and the Fjord 440 Open weekender motorboat. Hanseyachts intends to Cannes to exhibit a total of ten yachts.
The Hanse 461 is not an entirely new model range, but rather a further development of the successful 460. The focus is on a redesigned stern featuring a beach club layout, several fit-out and layout options, and an enhanced sailing concept. YACHT has the details on Hanse 461 with beach club and staysail has already been introduced and the Interior variants classified.
The Fjord 440 Open, on the other hand, is aimed at the group’s motorboat clientele. Features mentioned include an open cockpit with a central dining area, an electrically reversible stern bench, a hydraulic bathing platform and a two-cabin layout. Up to 960 PS is said to be available for the propulsion system. Whether the on-board features prove convincing will only become clear at the launch and during the first test runs.
The key priority for the shipyard at present is for the new management structure to stabilise production, strengthen the dealer network and bring the announced models to market on schedule.
How do you assess Hanseyachts’ performance: are the new management appointments and two premieres in Cannes a convincing sign that the shipyard group is making a fresh start?
Martin Hager
Editor in Chief YACHT