Passing on VPLP with confidence
The VPLP naval architecture firm was founded in February 1983. Founded by Marc Van Peteghem and Vincent Lauriot-Prévost, it has built an international reputation in the design of sailing yachts for ocean racing and pleasure boating and employs 34 people. The two architects announced in February 2021 the beginning of a transition period for the sale of their business, through the inauguration of a new governance. Simon Watin will take over the presidency of the company. An executive committee composed of Mathias Maurios, Quentin Lucet and Xavier Guisnel completes the governance. The 4 managers should eventually buy the company.
"Marc and Vincent's idea is to have a long enough period to work together. They want it to be a trusting handover, sort of like family. We don't have a formal time frame, but it should last 1 or 2 years. Marc and Vincent will remain in the landscape, as advisors" explains the new president of VPLP Design. Because of their activities, the team will also divide up certain areas of activity. Quentin Lucet will oversee ocean racing, Mathias Maurios, who manages the Paris agency, will oversee series and one-offs. Xavier Guisnel will be in charge of the engineering division, with a staff of about ten people, while Simon Watin will be in charge of maritime development.
Emphasize sustainability in boating
If the new leaders insist on the will of continuity, they evoke some tracks on the subjects in progress and to come. "The maritime pole launched two years ago is the novelty that we want to put forward, because it is consistent with our values and the current situation. We have our contribution to make in cleaner transport vessels, with vegetable propulsion. This is a movement that Marc has been promoting for the past 10 years. We also want to revitalize the yachting industry, with yachts that integrate sustainable development and eco-design. This is the meaning of the Manifesto project, which is also an opening for our OceanWings automated rigid wings. On eco-design in yachting, we are working a lot with our partners on joint R&D projects, particularly in materials. These are things that need to be done jointly with the manufacturers. We're working on Life Cycle Analysis in the boating and ocean racing sectors, in particular with the La Vague group," says Simon Watin.
Preparing for the 2024 Vendée Globe
"In ocean racing, the subject of the moment is the Vendée Globe and the IMOCA. We're looking at it from the point of view of performance and damage. We're working with Hugo Boss on data analysis and real-time performance prediction methods using artificial intelligence. We are already thinking about the 2024 boat and we are starting to present our ideas to the teams" explains the president of VPLP Design.
To conclude, he adds: "We want to consolidate the group's approach with a cross-functional team on the 3 sites (Paris, Vannes and Nantes) working on all the projects. Take advantage of the richness of working one time on a Lagoon catamaran, then an IMOCA, then a sailing freighter."
