The 'world' of a project director in GWW

Michel Bekooy - Project director at Boskalis

This time a very special and above all personal 'Pen'. We have found Michel Bekooy willing to give us an insight into his daily life as project director at Boskalis. What makes working (together) in the infrastructure sector so fascinating, where does he get his energy from and how is the sector becoming more sustainable? 

Having enough challenges in the projects is important to me. But especially the project dynamics appeal to me enormously in this profession, as does working together in a team. An important success factor for the success of a project. Dealing with each other within a team and with the client's team are two important aspects to keep learning. And especially 'on the job', a way that suits me best. Furthermore, I also clearly feel responsible for my own sustainable employability and take the lead in this. I am consciously working on my work and the way I work, but also in my free time I am consciously working on my health and fitness.

Last year, I was challenged with a project team to write down our vision of how to create a collaboration between client and contractor. In it we outlined what is needed to create a good collaboration. We came away with a deep insufficient, even though in all our experience this is really the way. It was an almost scientific study of the building blocks of theory to achieve true collaboration. The theory itself seems a breeze but in practice deafeningly difficult. All the individuals with their personal situation, ambition and interpretations make it all not as unambiguous as the theory. To march it all in the right direction requires leadership. What leadership means to me personally has taken on more and more context over the years.

Sustainability

I was acutely proud of winning the Concrete Award 2021 with the New Connection N69, which had been delayed by corona and was awarded last year. The jury appreciated the effort in which sustainability was shaped in many ways in this project. Both during construction, with low CO2 emissions, during the energy-neutral use phase and in terms of the living environment, with attention to landscape, nature and recreation. Partly due to an innovative surface layer, innovative concrete and the application of solar panels. The N69 project itself was characterized by hard work and doing the right things together; with our own team and with the client. Here I was responsible for the work from tender to the maintenance that is now underway. The 'greenest road in Brabant' had previously been awarded the Sustainable Pearl, an annual prize awarded to a combination of client and contractor, which highlighted the challenging sustainability ambition in conjunction with the creation of professional partnership.

The whole chain is open to this. The subject is here to stay. Perhaps somewhat traditional, but in my experience the role of the customer is decisive here. Of course there are companies that take the initiative and develop (more sustainable) products and processes, but the fiat to put this into practice lies with the client's team. By doing, you learn what works and what doesn't, and you become smarter! Then the trick is to keep the steps you want to take manageable.