AkzoNobel announced that it has joined forces with Dutch sailor Simeon Tienpont to form team AkzoNobel, with the goal of winning the 2017-2018 Volvo Ocean Race safely and sustainably. Team AkzoNobel is the first to enter the forthcoming edition of the competition.
AkzoNobel states that entering a team into the world’s premier offshore sailing race – which will visit 11 host cities – will enable it to connect with new and existing audiences and customers over a prolonged period of time, as well as continue its proud maritime heritage.
Twice winner of the America’s Cup and a two-time participant in the Volvo Ocean Race, Tienpont is an “ambitious and inspirational partner,” AkzoNobel says. A natural born leader and skipper of the team, he reflects many of the qualities the company values in its own employees.
“This is a unique opportunity for us to harness our combined energy and ambition, channeling it into a sustainable partnership,” said AkzoNobel CEO Ton Büchner. “It will also enable us to captivate people around the world and explore new business opportunities while highlighting how we create everyday essentials to make people’s lives more liveable and inspiring.”
Speaking at the launch event in Scheveningen, the Netherlands, Conrad Keijzer, the company’s executive committee member responsible for Performance Coatings, added, “Partnering with Simeon is a winning combination. It brings together our market-leading performance in marine and yacht coatings with a true leader who puts teamwork first and is both determined and inspirational – qualities we value highly at AkzoNobel.”
Trained as a naval architect and engineer, Tienpont is no stranger to winning demanding endurance races, having triumphed in the America’s Cup in 2010 and 2013.
“I’m honored and incredibly excited to be the skipper of team AkzoNobel,” Tienpont said. “We’re both focused on high performance and share the same passion for success. I can’t wait to start racing.”
The launch took place in front of Scheveningen Pier (close to where the race will end), which provided a colorful backdrop for the event. Fifty of the famous landmark’s pillars were recently coated by AkzoNobel to provide essential protection against the tides and the elements. The race will also present more opportunities to invest in local communities and make them more liveable and inspiring, states AkzoNobel.
Due to start in October 2017 and end in mid-2018, the world-famous race – which attracts millions of followers – will stop at the following cities: Alicante, Spain; Lisbon, Portugal; Cape Town, South Africa; Hong Kong, Guangzhou, China; Auckland, New Zealand; Itajaí, Brazil; Newport, U.S.; Cardiff, Wales; Gothenburg, Sweden; and The Hague, The Netherlands.
For more information and to follow team AkzoNobel’s adventures, visit www.teamakzonobel.com.
