Updated: May 2026
Our Team — Indonesia Luxury Yacht Building Specialists
Bali Yacht Builder is a curated Indonesia luxury tourism experience offered by Bali Yacht Builder: handpicked routes, vetted operators, transparent pricing, and 24/7 concierge support across Indonesia.
- What makes Bali Yacht Builder a premium experience.
- How Bali Yacht Builder curates exclusive access and concierge logistics.
- Routes, seasons, and pricing transparency — no hidden fees.
Meet Our Team of Master Craftsmen and Naval Architects
A yacht is more than a vessel; it is a complex synthesis of art and science, with a custom 40-meter Phinisi involving the precise integration of over 15,000 individual components. At Bali Yacht Builder, our strength lies in our people. We have assembled a unique team whose leadership alone brings a combined 80+ years of traditional Indonesian boat-building wisdom, world-class naval architecture, and project management. Each member is a leader in their field, united by a commitment to building Indonesia’s finest custom yachts. Our collaborative approach ensures every project benefits from a diversity of expertise, resulting in a vessel that is as structurally sound as it is beautiful, governed by our strict verification standards at every stage.
Budi Santoso
Founder & Chief Executive Officer
Credentials: MBA, INSEAD; B.Sc. in Hospitality Management, Cornell University.
As the visionary leader of Bali Yacht Builder and an executive within the Juara Holding Group, Budi brings over 25 years of experience in luxury hospitality development in Indonesia. His understanding of the operational demands of luxury charter businesses informs our strategic direction, creating maritime assets that deliver strong financial returns; prime charter yachts in areas like Raja Ampat can achieve gross annual yields of 15-20%. Budi’s mission is to elevate Indonesian craftsmanship to the global stage, ensuring every project aligns with our core values of community empowerment and environmental stewardship.
Dr. Lars Jansen
Lead Naval Architect
Credentials: PhD in Naval Architecture, Delft University of Technology (TU Delft), ranked #3 globally for Maritime Engineering in 2023; Member of the Royal Institution of Naval Architects (RINA).
Dr. Jansen is the technical heart of Bali Yacht Builder. With a distinguished career in Europe, he was drawn to Indonesia by the challenge of integrating modern hydrodynamics with the traditional Phinisi form. His work, which utilizes advanced CFD modeling, has resulted in hull forms that improve fuel efficiency by up to 15% compared to traditional designs. Lars leads our design and engineering department, overseeing everything from initial stability calculations to propulsion systems, ensuring every yacht is safe, efficient, and compliant with international maritime standards like the IMO’s SOLAS convention.
Daeng Arifin
Master Shipwright (Kepala Tukang)
Credentials: 35+ Years of Traditional Phinisi Construction in Tana Beru, South Sulawesi—the heartland of a boatbuilding art recognized by UNESCO as an Intangible Cultural Heritage in 2017.
Pak Daeng Arifin is a living legend, hailing from a family of shipwrights in Tana Beru spanning 5 generations. He possesses an intuitive understanding of wood and sea, particularly of local Ulin (ironwood), which has a density of up to 1.1 g/cm³ and can last over 50 years in seawater. He leads our craftsmen, overseeing hull construction and ensuring time-honored techniques—like building the hull shell before the frames—are preserved. His collaboration with Dr. Jansen is a dialogue between ancient wisdom and modern science, resulting in a vessel of unparalleled strength and character.
Siti Rahayu
Head of Shipyard Operations
Credentials: Certified Project Management Professional (PMP), a certification held by just over 1.4 million professionals worldwide; M.Eng in Industrial Engineering, Institut Teknologi Bandung (ITB), Indonesia’s #1 ranked university for engineering (QS 2023).
Siti is the organizational powerhouse who ensures our shipyard runs with precision. She is responsible for project management, from supply chain logistics to quality control, managing our ISO 9001 compliance program and liaising with bodies like Biro Klasifikasi Indonesia (BKI) for vessel certification. Her expertise is critical, managing supply chains that span over 8,000 kilometers from Kalimantan to Europe. Siti’s meticulous planning is what allows us to deliver complex projects on budget, consistently achieving a 95% on-time milestone completion rate.
Michael Chen
Business Development Manager
Credentials: B.A. in International Business, National University of Singapore (NUS).
Michael is the primary point of contact for our B2B clients. With a decade of experience in the luxury travel and asset management sectors across the Asia-Pacific region, he understands the unique needs of investors, charter operators, and hospitality brands. Michael guides clients through the initial discovery process, helping to define the project scope, develop the business case, and structure the building contract. He is a skilled communicator who bridges the gap between the client’s vision and the technical realities of construction. For inquiries and to begin your journey with us, Michael is your first port of call at bd@juaraholding.com.
Continue exploring Bali Yacht Builder:
Our Bali Yacht Builder Service ·
Meet Our Team ·
Editorial Standards ·
Methodology ·
Sustainability ·
Safety & Compliance
Imagine the scent of freshly planed teak mingling with the salty breeze, a symphony of craftsmanship unfolding against the backdrop of Bali’s vibrant shores.
The art of the Phinisi: A legacy reborn
The heart of every luxury yacht emerging from our Bali shipyard beats with the spirit of the Phinisi, an iconic Indonesian sailing vessel whose heritage stretches back centuries. Originating from the Bugis and Makassar people of South Sulawesi, these majestic two-masted schooners are living testaments to an ancient shipbuilding tradition, recognized by 
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