Real estate was a new area for me. I came from management, strategy and organisational transformation, and landed in industrial real estate almost by accident. I’d actually been WDP’s tenant before, in my previous role, so I already knew Jeroen and Costin Gherghina, and I’d had a genuinely positive experience working with them. When Jeroen asked me to join the team, I was excited, but also completely out of my comfort zone. In 25 years of career, I had always sat on the other side of the table, as the tenant. It was also important to me that WDP is a family business, and meeting Tony and Joost after I joined confirmed I’d made the right decision.

I can now switch easily between the mindset of the developer or landlord and the mindset of the client, because I’ve genuinely sat in both chairs. I know what potential and existing tenants actually need, not just what a landlord assumes they need. Every experience I’ve had made me richer, and I’m grateful I chose to join WDP. I’m a self-starter, I like solving problems, negotiating and meeting tenants, and I use my brain every single day here.

I like the vibe of our company, our team and our mission, and I hope we keep that spirit as we grow, in France, in Germany, and everywhere else WDP is building. I want us to keep investing in innovation, sustainability, safety and talent, without losing what makes WDP feel like a family business. If we can keep growing together while staying true to that DNA, that’s the next five years I’m looking forward to.