Dieter Dehlke has been Finance Director of the Damen Naval Division of Damen Shipyards Group since 1 March. He succeeds Ronald Suhlmann, who has become CFO of the entire Group. Dieter is no stranger to Damen; before his appointment, he was Finance Director of the Mid-Sized Vessels Division in Gorinchem. When asked to fill Ronald’s position, he did not hesitate for a moment. Dieter wants to be a director that his colleagues can approach without hesitation. “My door is always open.” He finds Damen Naval’s financial position very satisfactory. “We are growing, and there are promising orders in the pipeline.”

We are speaking to Dieter Dehlke (56) the day after England eliminated Germany at the European Football Championships. As a German, he is of course disappointed. “But we have to move on, right? And, anyway, the Mannschaft wasn’t that great. The German team bus has already been put up for sale on the Internet… it says that it is ‘in almost mint condition’,” he says laughing loudly.

Within the Damen Naval management team, the brand new Finance Director is responsible not only for the current and future financial state of the Division, but for contractual matters too. He is in close contact with Willem Jan Moens (Financial Control), Martijn Nuijten (Business & Project Control) and Jaco Breur (Legal Affairs) on an almost daily basis. Dieter also supervises the payment of salaries and the associated administrative work. He also handles payments to Damen Naval’s suppliers.

Before joining the Damen Group, Hanover-born Dieter worked for shipbuilder Blohm+Voss in Hamburg for many years, the last four as Managing Director.

“I think communication is very important and I am always open to constructive criticism." Dieter Dehlke

As Damen Naval’s financial director, he is closely involved with the F126 contract, sitting on the Project Board of this mega-project with final responsibility for the project’s financial state of affairs. “With the order to build the four German F126-class frigates, and with an option for two more, Damen Naval, as prime contractor, secured the largest contract that the entire Damen Group has ever landed,” says Dieter proudly. “It was also the German Navy’s largest order!” The F126 programme is being carried out in cooperation with Blohm+Voss and Thales. The construction scope of this major defence project will all take place in Germany: in Hamburg, Kiel and Wolgast.

Dieter notes that the financial position of Damen Naval is “stable”, with “promising projects in the pipeline” and a workforce that is experiencing healthy growth. “It remains a challenge to find enough qualified personnel in the immediate area,” adds the Finance Director. “That is why we are also looking outside Zeeland.”

Dieter, who graduated in macroeconomics, enjoys living in Zeeland. He lives in the centre of Middelburg. “The people, the surroundings, the Delta Works, the colleagues here at work, it is all worth it.”

The door to his office at Damen Naval’s head office in Vlissingen is always open. “I think communication is very important and I am always open to constructive criticism. Everyone should have the space to come up with their own ideas to further optimise our business operations. On the other hand, I think it’s important that my colleagues hear from me exactly what our goals are and how we are performing as a company. In return for their efforts for the company, they are entitled to that.”