When we have to deliver, our organisation springs to life

I started at Vanderlande in the Airports Business Unit. Istanbul Airport was an exciting project, as it was the second project after Jeddah where the first version of the Airport platform was developed. The schedule was ambitious, and there was intense pressure from the customer and on site. The teams succeeded, and it is recorded in our books as a successful project.

Before the opening, I was given the opportunity to visit the control tower. It was special as this is normally not a place you get access to. We arrived by pick-up truck going through the mud as it was still a building site. Although the airport was not yet live, it still made a lasting impression.

I am fascinated by processes, automation and basically anything that moves. Although I had slightly different ideas as a child, I was still at an airport, only not as a flight attendant or pilot. But the best part was seeing what the teams had put together in a relatively short time.

The mentality I found in our Istanbul project team is typical for Vanderlande. When we have to work hard, perform and deliver under high pressure, our organisation springs to life. In my role, I visit many of our locations around the world, and whether I’m in Spain, China or North America, I experience the same Vanderlande mentality and can-do attitude everywhere.