About us
Guido de Groot Design was launched in 1997 and is based in Leiden, the oldest university town in Holland. The award-winning studio employs eight designers of varying nationalities and specializes in innovative interiors and exteriors for both luxury motor and sailing yachts. Through the years, the Guido de Groot's design office has evolved to the point that it works with some of the most prestigious shipyards worldwide. Many of the projects combine interior and exterior design and include sailing yachts, fast motor cruisers and more sedate displacement yachts. The Guido de Groot philosophy is to create high-quality designs, both interior and exterior, that should be appreciated for their purity and harmony. This philosophy can be seen in the stunning yachts that glide out from the studio.
Our team
Guido de Groot
Has graduated with a bachelor of science degree with honours from the Art Centre College of Design in Pasadena (USA) and worked for more than six years as a car designer in Paris for the French car manufacturer Citroën. His love affair with yachts began back in 1986 when he saw the fourth "Highlander" close to completion at the De Vries (Feadship) yard. Awestruck by the majesty of this 45-metre masterpiece, he started drawing yachts in parallel with his career in car design. The next decade was spent learning everything there was to know about luxury yachts. He launched Guido de Groot Design in 1997, specialising in innovative interiors and exteriors for both luxury motor and sailing yachts.
Paulo Calado
Born in Portugal, he started as a civil engineer working for 6 years in a variety of projects and constructions; from metallic structures to luxury interiors (finishings). He then decided to pursue the old calling of design (vast interest, from cars to interiors). Autodidact by nature, he focused on studying 3D tools which, along with hand sketching abilities (mastered in art and design studies), allow him to illustrate his ideas to clients. He has also worked in several architectural 3D projects in Portugal and The Netherlands. In the Guido de Groot Design team, Paulo's personal imprint of a modern and minimalist interior style has been present since 2005, being able to continue his learning process.
Axel Balleur
Axel was born in Lyon, France, and he’s passionate about cars, boats, and creation of all kinds. He studied industrial design in France and then decided to specialize in automotive design at the IAAD in Turin. After a thesis project within the Stellantis group, he started his career as an independent designer and collaborated mainly with Swiss watchmakers. Axel is a multidisciplinary designer interested in many fields of creation. He joined Guido de Groot Design's team in September 2022 as an interior and exterior designer. He draws his inspiration from a wide range of fields, from architecture to industrial design.
Jacques van Adrichem
Inspired by design based on technical prerequisites translated to parameters, Jacques studied Architecture & Engineering at Delft University of Technology. One of his main focuses throughout his study was the way technical requirements or boundary condition could drive the design. In this search he developed a special interest in a large variety of digital tools that help to analyse and design. Examples are designs driven by acoustics, building physics or environmental parameters. As much as he is interested in finding clever solutions for design tasks, he is interested in the esthetical appearance. His background enables him to translate his ideas to cohesive designs. His personal preference goes to contemporary minimalistic designs with a clear use of space in relation to its function. In the Guido de Groot Design team, Jacques is involved in both interior and exterior design.
Ian Nisbett
Is industrial (transport) designer from the United Kingdom with over 15 years experience working in senior design positions, with a series of prestigious automotive manufacturers including Citroen, Isuzu and Nissan. Immediately before creating Ian Nisbett Design in 2006, Ian held the position of assistant chief designer at the Mazda Advanced Design Centre in Yokohama, Japan. In the roles of both designer and project manager Ian has been responsible for a number of acclaimed concept and production cars and has experience of working in North America, Europe and Japan.
Nikol Lebbink
Born in Turkey, her passion for designing yacht interiors started during her university years at the Interior, Architecture and Environmental Design Department of the Izmir University of Economics. She has a bachelor in interior design and got her yacht design master at the PoliMi MYD in Milano. After working for 6 years as an interior yacht designer and gaining a lot of experience in the yacht design field she joined the Guido de Groot design team as interior designer. Nikol's interior design style follows modern and clean lines.
Bogdan Botas
Originally from Romania, Bogdan studied Architecture at the Polytechnics University Timisoara and specialized on Interior Architecture. He has worked across Europe and the UK on international projects. He later moved to the Netherlands to explore the yacht industry, seeing it as a powerhouse of creativity and the ideal intersection of all creative and engineering disciplines. Bogdan joined the Guido de Groot Design team in early 2025.
Davide Franceschetti
Born and raised in Turin, Davide is a young designer driven by a deep passion for cars and mobility in all its forms. His journey began with a focus on industrial design in high school and evolved into a degree in Transportation Design from IED (Istituto Europeo di Design Torino), where he collaborated on projects with renowned brands such as Bertone and Dallara. During his time at IED, he discovered the world of yacht design—an experience that broadened his perspective on form, function, and innovation. Eager to embrace new challenges and expand his creative horizons, he joined the Guido de Groot design team in 2026 as an exterior designer.
Leonardo di Trapani
Hailing from the vibrant landscapes of Sicily, Leonardo design philosophy is rooted in the intersection of the automotive, yacht, and architectural disciplines. Graduated in Trasportation design at IED in Turin, he started an internship in Alfa Romeo. His career has taken him across a diverse spectrum of mobility, from the adrenaline of motorbike to the elegance of yacht design. Since May 2026, Leonardo has joined Guido De Groot design's team.
Anco Kok
Is responsible for marketing and public relations. His passion for yachts and yacht construction started at a very young age, since his father was a boat builder. His career in yacht construction began parallel to his marketing studies in the Netherlands. In the past 10 years he has worked in marketing and sales positions for different well known Dutch Shipyards. Through these various positions he improved his technical knowledge of yacht construction, broaden his marketing skills and has developed a wide network in the industry.