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Sylke auf dem Graben: PR & Marketing Manager at Lürssen
Tell us a little about your background?
Before I started to work in the yachting business in 1991 I worked in an advertising agency where I obtained my marketing background.
Since 1991 I have mainly worked for two yachting companies. The first 12 years for the Dutch shipyard Jongert and their exclusive sales and marketing company Dahm international, at their office in Düsseldorf and since 2003 for the German shipyard Lürssen in Bremen.
A sentence description of what you do – and why you love yachting?
I look after all the PR and marketing communication activities for Lürssen with regards to yachts. I love my job in yachting because it allows me to get in touch with a unique and fascinating product.
What are the best aspects of your job?
There are many…
As I am looking after all marketing activities the job is very diversified. You have to jump from one theme to the next and always keep the overview and be up to date on what is happening in the market. I like that.
The boat shows give me the opportunity to travel from time to time and to stay in personal contact with the people I am dealing with and meet new people. I think that is the most interesting and important part. Meeting people from all over the world keeps you alive and on your toes!
And the best thing is, that the yachting industry is relatively small and it feels a bit like a family. During the past 27 years, I have buildup very close relationships with journalists, designers, brokers, and colleagues from other shipyards and from all over the world and it does not matter which nationality you are.
Tell us something about you that might surprise us?
Things that would surprise you – difficult task… I have been told I am a good kart driver and I really love to do that. It is possibly in my blood as my father was a successful rally driver.
And I love to dance the night away, which people around me had to experience a few times. Unless you push the STOP button I do not stop dancing as long as the music is good.
When are you most content – on the water or on land?
One of the best holidays I spent on a 12m sailing yacht. I have a very generous friend who invited me a few times to sail with him in Sardinia and Croatia. Also sailing on a Catamaran in the Caribbean was one of the best experiences. On the water you can relax immediately and I love that feeling. On the other hand, the land has so much to offer and to explore. And luckily my other half and I share the same interests and it is the best thing in the world to experience things together.
So, difficult to say, I guess I am happy wherever I feel good and where I have nice people around me, no matter if on sea or on land.
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