Inspiring talk between Joost Uwents and Voka

Last month Joost Uwents, who is head of WDP together with Tony De Pauw, gave an interesting interview to Voka, the Flemish chamber of commerce. It was an inspiring talk about WDP's evolution and what direction a successful company should take. We selected Joost’s most interesting quotes and listed them. In a nutshell, what WDP stands for!

#1 WDP won the ‘Entrepreneur of the Year 2017’ award

“It is great to receive appreciation like this for something we have been doing for more than 30 years already, i.e. prove that a real estate company can be a cost-effective commercial business. [...] We want to show people that a real estate company can offer an added value to our customers and shareholders.”

#2 Our four smartest moves

"Four decisions, that went against the flow, were decisive for WDP’s success. To start with, the decision to go public as a commercial real estate company. And afterwards by going to the Netherlands when nobody believed in the Netherlands. [...] In 2007 we were one of the first who chose to invest in solar panels. [...] And finally about ten years ago we made a decision to expand geographically to Romania.”

#3 Logistics sector and WDP booming

“The logistics sector is experiencing strong growth and we are riding that wave. Technological developments have made consumers demanding. [...] Deliveries have to be quick and immediate. [...] This is why the logistics process has become a strategic element in operational management, which means more is being invested as well. We are bearing the fruit of that.”

#4 Small SME, big on the stock exchange

“Growth also means new people, new structures and new locations.  A company has to be able to integrate everything. Besides this, we face a contradiction in the company: we work with big numbers, but relatively few people. We might be a small SME but we are one of the biggest on the stock exchange. The match between these two is not always obvious therefore.”

#5 Warehouses with brains

“Digitisation and Internet of Things means in the future we will literally be able to provide buildings with brains.  This would not only improve the service to our clients, but also the sustainability. [...] We have a work group reflecting on this so that we can incorporate it in the plans for the future.”

 

Want to know what other interesting statements Joost made? Read the full interview on voka.be.

 

Share