The thing I like most about the work is exchanges with people from different countries, especially at boat shows. Growing up in Russia, I only had the opportunity to meet people from other countries while on holiday, and now I am surrounded by them every day! There is always something new and interesting to learn.

I don’t really have a typical work day: almost every day at the office is different. One day I’ll spend all my time translating emails while on another I’ll be supporting a Russian- speaking Van der Valk owner with a service request. Sometimes I’ll translate a new contract for a client, and at other times I’ll have a meeting with a client and designer at the yard to discuss a new interior for a boat.

I haven’t been working at Van der Valk Continental Yachts for very long, but I’ve seen quite a few projects here. My favourite thing is seeing how they start and grow. We currently have a new 26-metre Continental Three in which I’m involved from the beginning, and I look forward to seeing how it will develop.
There are many positive aspects of my job – but the most important, I think, are the people I work with. This is my first job in the Netherlands, and I couldn’t have wished for a better team than I have now. It makes everything about my job infinitely easier and more fun!