Philippe Brabetz

Philippe Brabetz has an architecture degree from the Paris-La-Villette School of Architecture. While studying to become a building specialist, he attends Dominique Presle’s naval architecture courses and becomes passionate about the subject.

He graduates shortly after the first Gulf War, when jobs were hard to come round, and nevertheless manages to join the Guignols’ team at Canal+, working at the design and production of TV sets and special effects as of 1995.
Ten years later, still passionate about shipbuilding, he joins the Nantes Naval Architecture DPEA which he tops by an internship for the construction of America’s Cup Areva Challenge monohull.
During his collaboration with shipyards and naval architecture firms in France, Spain and Morocco, he invents TurboKeels: a twin-keel system whose lest is ballasted from side to side. The invention patented, taking over META Shipyard seemed like the next best thing to do.

His mission is to consolidate the achievements of the legendary shipyard, but also to add the creative touch that will allow META to navigate today’s challenging waters and thus continue its fantastic adventure.

Nathalie Simon

Born in the same valley as META and with a name familiar to windserfers worldwide, her career was mapped out: since 2008, Nathalie has been assisting the shypyard’s management from an administrative, commercial and accounting point of view.

An Executive Assistant by training, she favors positions which allow for the widest diversity of tasks, within human scale structures. It is an interactive and stimulating format that she appreciates and that participates to the great complementarity between her very “maritime” professional activity and very terrestrial personal interests: running, cycling, hiking are all activities which fill her up with the energy and enthusiasm we much appreciate.

Nathalie is a valued collaborator, who faithfully has and does contribute to the welfare of the company .

Victor Kopf

Victor discovers marine environment at a young age, in the Charentais canals where he first tackles sailing. What began as a simple hobby turns into passion and he quickly becomes a sailing instructor.

Combining this passion to his science based academic curriculum helps him develop strong professional skills, relevant to the naval architecture degree he soon decides to pursue. He enrolls at Southampton, in England, where he obtains a license and master’s degree in Yacht Design and Ship Science.
Upon returning to France, he shapes his experience working with large firms such as Marc Lombard, Berret-Racoupeau, as well as for the J-composites Website.

Lover of nature, water sports and concerned about the environment, Victor tackles a first adventure: his first transatlantic round-trip, aboard an Attalia.
He is now—and for our greatest pleasure—in the midst of his second great adventure: his meaningful collaboration as a fully-fledged member of the META team.

Salomé Danière

You can check out Sam’s lates news on her LinkedIn profile

Lionel

Lionel has learned and confectioned his skill at aluminum ship building at META, where he’s been a faithful member of the team since 2004. He has become the metalworkers’ go-to person for all questions related to Strongall^® boat building techniques.

Not only is he an experienced boilermaker, he’s got a secret skill up his sleeve: he grows grapes which participate in the making of one of the local Rhone wines.

We’re looking forward to the META vintage 😉

Morgan

Kéni

Clément

Arnaud

Boran

Julien

Aurélien

Marin Ducoux

Etudiant-ingénieur en architecture navale à l’ENSTA Bretagne, Marin allie en travaillant chez META sa passion pour la voile et ses expériences de croisières hauturières avec les acquis techniques de sa formation.

Admirateur de Gérard Janichon (Damien) et de Bernard Moitessier (Joshua), il se dit fier de pouvoir contribuer au développement de META et de sa nouvelle série de voiliers hauturiers aux lignes modernes et à l’esprit d’aventure toujours intact.

Le chantier est donc très heureux de pouvoir compter parmi ses équipes ce Marin très compétent—mais aussi parfaitement polyvalent, avec un très bel esprit d’équipe et un sourire communicatif.

Past Collaborators

Carolina Pagliuca was the takeover’s multitasking partner who contributed to the administrative modernization of the shipyard so that it could safely resume travelling long-distance. She keeps a benevolent eye on the vessel, and is never far away.

Guillaume Pic-Rivière is an independent naval architect. After finalising his internship at META, and before going back to sail the 7 seas, he is collaborating on various and varied ongoing projects.

Louis Parlanti is a railroad engineer by training, now beholder of the ENSTA Bretagne + DPEA/ENSA Paris-La Villette degrees . He successfully completed his naval architecture training with an internship at our Design Office, where he brought his contagious good humor and great team spirit. Good luck Louis!

Océane Cambier is an IMT-Mines engineer and her time at META brought not only a feminine touch that was missing in the design office, but above all a willing, helpful and resourceful collaborator. We wish him good luck!

Simon Poniard is a SeaTech-Toulon engineer. He joined META to learn boilermaking and get closer to the naval architecture profession. Passionate about cycling, he trails the world whenever he can.

Pascal Ravatier worked for META for almost 25 years. It’s impossible to count all the boats he built that sail the wordly seas. He unfortunately left us prematurely, but we will forever remember his collaboration, his talent, and his exemplary kindness.

Léo Jouberton was a great support for all of us at META, where he completed his end-of-study internship. Engineer SeaTech-Toulon + DPEA of Nantes, Léo has had a passion for boats since he was born, and now also for the environment and sustainable development issues. He will no doubt do great things.

Mohamed Ibenseddik had a calling for mechanical engineering. He joined our design office as an intern to develop of the TurboKeels project, and led the construction of the system’s prototype. We will always be happy to hear from him.

Romain Acquaviva, passionate sailor, computer scientist, and now also a naval architect, he finalised his diploma by an internship at META and assisted Philippe in the design office. He now lives and works in Switzerland where he co-founded Valentin design.

Killian Cabanes perfected sailing at Glénans, but he is also a certified welder. He joined META to build the first Territoires. The sailing boat was conceived by Alpen Yacht Concept, a company in which Kilian is also a stakeholder.

Michaël Leleux built his own sail-around-the-world sailboat. Stuck in the Canaries following Covid 19, he was able to join META for a few months as a boilermaker. He is continuing his journey as a qualified and creative team leader—à bientôt!

Kevin Denis is a Compagnon du Devoir. He joined META in 2019 and was a great addition to the aluminum shipbuilders team. A local native, he now helps manage the family stables in Savigny.