From a farmhouse office to SAP S/4HANA: Ingrid Phlips’ fifteen years at WDP
Over the past 15 years, Ingrid Phlips has watched WDP grow from a small family business into a European leader in logistics real estate. Even as the company has grown fast and embraced change, she’s proud that WDP has stayed true to its warm culture, strong team spirit, and its habit of putting people first.
When I joined WDP 15 years ago
When I started at WDP 15 years ago, the working environment looked completely different from today. What struck me immediately was the special location: a square farmhouse, right in the middle of the countryside. I can still hear myself saying to the HR manager, ‘Maybe I’ll even cycle to work… could a shower perhaps be installed?’
Today, 15 years and two renovations later, the offices have grown into a real gem. Beautiful, modern workspaces, a cosy lounge and cafeteria, several kitchens, showers, and every facility you could need, all of it makes working at WDP not just comfortable, but genuinely enjoyable.
A lot has changed personally too. When I started, my children were still studying. Today I’m a grandmother of four grandchildren. And that makes working with younger colleagues extra fun, I can talk about toddlers, teenagers and students alike. Just like WDP, life has kept evolving.
What WDP means for me today
Today, WDP stands for trust, stability and continued growth. My focus is on my responsibilities within re-invoicing and working with SAP, a domain where I can put my analytical strengths to full use.
At the same time, there’s always room to support colleagues, and that, to me, is exactly what #TeamWDP is about. What makes WDP special to me is that the family atmosphere has stayed, despite the strong growth. A great example was our trip to Barcelona two years ago, to mark WDP’s 25th anniversary. Getting to travel with the whole team was an experience I’ll never forget, and a real confirmation of that team feeling.
Today I feel completely at home at WDP: professionally challenged, surrounded by great colleagues, in an organisation where people stay at the centre.
What makes WDP special to me is that the family atmosphere has stayed, despite the strong growth.
How I see WDP in the future
Going forward, I mostly hope WDP keeps growing without losing its warmth. That innovation, sustainability and international expansion keep going hand in hand with collaboration and trust. If that family atmosphere stays intact, and there’s still room for talent, experience and new ideas, then I look to the future with a great deal of confidence, and pride, to be part of it.
The project I’ll never forget
In those 15 years, plenty of projects have come and gone, but one really stands out for me: the move to SAP S/4HANA. Intense, challenging, and with a huge impact on the way we work and on financial follow-up.
Together with my fellow accountants, I was a key user on this project. My responsibility was the re-invoicing calculations, or ‘SU’s’ as they’re often called, which had to be converted from quarterly to annual calculations. That took a lot of analysis, precision and, above all, persistence. The turning point came when everything started to fall into place. The structure became clearer, the figures matched up, and the system began to really show its value.
Since last year, my responsibility has expanded further too: alongside part of Belgium, I now also cover Germany. That feels like both a nice challenge and a real sign of trust. What I take from this project is that change only works if you keep collaborating, keep adjusting, and above all, keep persevering.