Claire Tizard - managing director

Founder Claire Tizard grew up on the South Coast of the UK, and spent 9 years at sea working as a Chief Stewardess on highly reputed large private and charter yachts, before moving ashore to consult on new builds/refits and provide interior supply services to many of the world’s most prestigious yachts. 

Claire is best described as a busy yet fun loving person who greatly enjoys the variety of the job and consistently exceeding her client’s expectations.

She loves travelling to visit clients as well as skiing, running, cooking, sailing, and walking her Parson Russell Terrier, Minnie.

VALHERYA SUAREZ - operatIons manager

Valherya hails from Spain where she grew up, however she was born in Colombia. She speaks Spanish and fluent English, and the German is a work in progress.

Val joined us in 2021 as an intern then working student during her Master’s Degree in Global Supply Chain Management and Logistics. After graduation, she was appointed Operations Manager. Her role is diverse - developing our business software with the aim of improving our speed and efficiency, marketing, and assisting with HR.

She loves reading in the park, nature walks, and is an animal lover. Her favourite city in the world so far is Tokyo, although Hamburg is gaining a special place in her heart.

HIEN NGO - accounts and office manager

Hien comes from Vietnam and speaks perfect English, Vietnamese and German. She joined CTYS in 2021.

With a background in Admin and Human Resources, Hien is super well organised and a whizz with numbers, which helps her to run the office and manage the accounting in an effective way. 

Lucky for us, she thrives on team work and supporting her colleagues.

In her free time she loves to go bouldering, reading, baking and taking care of her plants. She also loves traveling.

Gemma Viñallonga – Administration Assistant

Gemma was born and raised near Barcelona.

She is fluent in Spanish, Catalan, and English, and is currently improving her German. With her background in marine biology and her international experience, she brings strong organizational skills, adaptability, and attention to detail to her administrative role. Her passion for learning, combined with her love for exploring new cultures, makes her a proactive and solid new addition to our team.

Outside of work, Gemma enjoys painting, writing, practicing yoga, spending time in nature, and cherishing moments with her loved ones.

Vasiliki Pantzartzi – senior purchaser

Vasiliki – or, Vasso - as she is known to friends and family, hails from Greece and speaks Greek, fluent English, and intermediate German which she hopes to improve in the future.

After completing a Bachelor in Business Administration at a Greek university, she moved to Maastricht, Netherlands, were she gained her MSc in International Business. She has worked in the marble mining industry in Greece and the wind energy industry in Germany before joining CTYS in 2022.

Living and working in Hamburg has always been a dream even though she sometimes misses the Greek sunshine. She loves reading, cats, spending time with friends, and taking long walks around Hamburg’s Alster lake.

Maryam Dastouri – Purchaser

Maryam was born in Iran and raised in Saudi Arabia and the UAE, bringing a vibrant blend of international culture to our office. She began her career as a purchasing assistant in an industrial company in UAE before moving to work in Tbilisi, Georgia. Her next move was to Minsk, Belarus, where she continued her studies and gained an MBA. She joined CTYS in 2024.

Inspired by Hamburg’s buzzing energy and maritime scene, she looks forward to furthering her knowledge as a Purchaser in the Superyachting industry.

She enjoys biking, walking, and traveling the world in search of new experiences.

Alina Sherstnova - Purchaser

Alina was born and raised in Ukraine. She holds a bachelor’s degree in hospitality and restaurant management, reflecting her dedication to customer service and creating exceptional guest experiences. Alina joined CTYS in 2024.

Fluent in English, Russian, and Ukrainian, plus a bit of Turkish, Alina is now tackling the German language - which although is challenging - she approaches it with her usual sunny disposition.

In her free time, she enjoys the outdoors and spending moments with friends and her beloved cat. She is also passionate about cooking and loves to explore new cuisines.

Mark Baumgartl - WAREHOUSE MANAGER

Mark is our only born and raised Hamburger, and is bilingual German/English. He joined CTYS in 2019.

His background in medical warehousing prepared him perfectly for the insane attention to all small details needed for checking all of the incoming orders and preparing them for delivery to yachts worldwide. 

When he is not up to his eyeballs in boxes, Mark loves long walks around the city’s Alster lake, barbequing with friends and taking care of his fluffy bunny rabbit.

Sufian Bashir – Logistics Specialist

Born in Pakistan, Sufian has a strong logistics background in Airport Cargo and FMCG. After gaining a Bachelors degree in Commerce, Sufian worked in Dubai and Saudia Arabia before moving to Germany in January 2023. He is currently learning German.

Sufian always has a smile on his face keeps us all entertained with his cracking sense of humour.

Father to 2, but when he finds spare time, his hobbies include exploring new places and cooking.

Minnie

Minnie is a Parson Russell Terrier, born in Hamburg October 2020.

She doesn’t speak any languages nor does much in the way of work, but she more than makes up for it by being cute and regularly entertaining the team.

Minnie enjoys snoozing in the sunshine, being fed treats for no good reason, and playing tug-of-war with her favourite soft toy named Donald.