AkzoNobel Yacht Coatings - Employee profile - Claudine Ferman

“Always say yes to new opportunities”: advice from a leader within AkzoNobel’s commercial team

A career in marine leisure coatings can begin in the most unlikely places, and a prime example of that is AkzoNobel’s very own Regional Sales Manager for North America, Claudine Ferman. We took the time to sit down with Claudine to hear more about her career path, her insights on the yacht coatings market, as well as the changes that need to be implemented for the industry to continue to progress.

Claudine Ferman never planned a career in marine coatings. With a bachelor’s in history and a master’s in international relations, Claudine initially had aspirations of becoming an international diplomat. It was purely by chance that Claudine happened to pass AkzoNobel’s head office in the Netherlands on her cycle route every day, which prompted her to apply for an internship placement as a marketing intern in the automotive division’s European team. Within a few weeks, she was on a plane bound for Moscow, followed quickly by a trip to Barcelona, to attend big-ticket industry conferences and report back with her insights about the topics and themes that were covered.

But the diplomacy itch was one Claudine needed to scratch. So, after five months with Akzo, she secured an internship placement with the Dutch Embassy in Budapest. However, the fast-paced corporate environment was more appealing, and Claudine rejoined the AkzoNobel team in 2015 as a Commercial Excellence Analyst, applying her diplomatic experience in support of the various business units throughout the AkzoNobel group.

It was not long before Claudine’s dynamism and work ethic caught the attention of the yacht coatings division, at which point Claudine joined the product management team for Awlgrip^®, focusing on product range management before transitioning into a Strategic Account Management role for AkzoNobel’s yacht segment in the US sales team in 2018.

This breadth of experience has provided Claudine with a unique perspective on the marine leisure market, particularly when it comes to the business and cultural nuances that global teams such as AkzoNobel’s must navigate.

“Although it’s considered to be a single market, the regional differentiation in the US alone is significant, with a huge diversity in boating types and regulations, which dictates the variety of products available. That being said, the US is a very sales-oriented market, with a strong emphasis on creating and maintaining relationships with our customers. In Europe, innovation and sustainability dominate the market’s agenda, which Claudine highlights is largely due to EU legislation. However, a common theme that Claudine has found within shipyards in both the US and Northern Europe is the emphasis placed on products that can support project efficiencies whilst maintaining premium performance, and this is where AkzoNobel excels.

Claudine also addresses the broader structural pressures that the industry is currently facing. Yards are under growing time pressure; there’s a distinct shortage of skilled labor coming through, which is combined with an ageing owner base and a younger generation of more price-conscious buyers. For Claudine, this environment highlights the growing interest in the charter model, which provides young aspiring sailors with access to boating without the need to own their own vessel, as well as promoting the benefits of a potential career in the industry by communicating with younger demographics through the right channels and with the right content. Making it easy to engage with the industry is the key to promoting it as a viable and fulfilling future career.

When asked about how the industry is bringing the next generation of talent through, Claudine commented that from AkzoNobel’s perspective, the team are seeing both strong internal and external growth, with new employees joining the sales team from boat builder or dealership backgrounds that are bringing highly analytical, creative and data-driven perspectives into the business.

“The main piece of advice I would give to any aspiring talent looking to break into the industry has always been, say yes to new opportunities; you’ve got to start somewhere, and once you’re established in a company like AkzoNobel, and you can show that you’re adding value to the business, then exciting opportunities will come along.” Claudine goes on to highlight that although the yacht coatings industry is relatively small, there is a huge amount of diversity in the career paths that are available, with opportunities to gain experience, not just on the corporate side, but in distribution, manufacturing, as well as within the shipyards themselves; “in the end, it’s about hard work. My mom used to tell me that you need to do something that you like, because if you do, you tend to be good at it, which I’ve always thought is very good advice.”

Commenting on female representation within the industry, Claudine highlighted that, outside of AkzoNobel, the marine leisure industry still has a way to go. Within AkzoNobel’s yacht coatings leadership team senior positions such as global commercial director, financial controller, head of marketing, as well as Claudine’s own role as regional sales manager for North America, are all held by women.

From Claudine’s perspective, this representation is not replicated within the wider industry, with yard, boat builder and applicator teams remaining heavily male-dominated. To address this disparity, pathways must be developed that promote and nurture aspiring female talent. “It is important that we show what the industry has to offer, both in terms of the skill, passion and precision that goes into coating projects, but also the variety of roles within the wider industry, such as yards and marinas, as well as at a corporate level.”

AkzoNobel is proactive in this effort, sponsoring key internal and external networks and non-profits – such as the Women Inspired Network (WIN), the True Colours Network and Equal Access Board – to enhance diversity and inclusion within the wider coatings industry and the marine and yacht segments, whilst encouraging new talent into the sector in order to ensure its continued success.

As Claudine reflects on her career to date, she notes that “I have been very lucky, [AkzoNobel] has always provided me with challenging new opportunities, as well as the support and network to develop professionally. Crucially, I’ve been lucky enough to be in a position to say yes.”

“My career so far has provided me with different perspectives and new cultural experiences from living and working in different countries, which has broadened my scope significantly. That is something that AkzoNobel does very well.”

Claudine will be attending both IBEX (booth 923) and Fort Lauderdale International Boat Show (booth 735) events in October and will be available to speak to delegates about all things AkzoNobel.