5 minute read

Shaping tomorrow’s living environment

Daphne van der Jagt & Bart Simkens

What do a construction engineer and a finance expert have in common? A great deal, as it turns out at Deloitte Real Estate. Bart Simkens, Senior Consultant, and Daphne van der Jagt, Manager Finance, completed the Real Estate traineeship together. They’ve now been working for five years on a wide range of projects that, as Bart puts it, 'leave a mark on the built environment of tomorrow'.

Despite their completely different backgrounds, both Bart and Daphne found exactly what they were looking for at Deloitte Real Estate: a dynamic working environment with intellectual challenge and social impact. Bart (30) supports public and private parties in complex area development projects. 'Most people associate a degree in building sciences with becoming an architect', he says. 'But I was more drawn to the strategic side. From healthcare campuses to inner-city locations, we help clients develop strategies and business cases. Our aim is to contribute to a shared vision that all stakeholders can support – which is both a rewarding and challenging task.'

Daphne (28) describes herself as the odd one out, with a background in finance and economics, and a role that regularly bridges the different pillars of the Real Estate team. She develops flexible financial models and supports strategic and investment decision-making. 'My work involves a lot of numbers, but I’m just as often sitting at the table with clients', she says. 'That balance between analytical problem-solving and human interaction is exactly what makes my work so enjoyable.'

Creating social value

Both are visibly proud of their projects. Bart shares the example of an urban development project on a healthcare campus in Vught. 'The organisation no longer needed the entire site and wanted to sell part of it while preserving the unique character of the location. We guided that process – from discussions with the municipality to drafting a development plan, together with the urban designer. A tender procedure is currently in progress for the construction of 900 houses in a green setting. Contributing to something like that feels truly meaningful.'

“That balance between analytical problem-solving and human interaction is exactly what makes my work so enjoyable.”

Daphne van der Jagt | Manager Finance, Real Estate

Daphne recently worked on a strategy project for a care institution for people with disabilities that was facing serious difficulties. 'In addition to external challenges, they were dealing with outdated and inefficient real estate and high rates of sick leave, which led to a heavy reliance on costly temporary staff. This put significant pressure on their financial results and threatened the continuity and quality of their health care services. Together with a multidisciplinary team, we developed a new strategy which involved modelling the financial impact of various strategic options. This approach enabled the organisation to make well-informed decisions to safeguard the future of their organization and their quality of care. Because we took the time to involve multiple levels of the organisation, there was broad support for the plans. We are now also working on a strategic real estate plan to bring their real estate portfolio in line with their long-term ambitions. Projects like these truly make a difference.'

A versatile team, endless opportunities

The Real Estate team includes around 75 colleagues and is divided into three pillars: Urban Development, Mergers & Acquisitions, and Strategy & Transformations. 'We’re very diverse – in both background and personality', says Daphne. 'But we all share a passion for real estate and urban development.' Bart adds: 'We often collaborate across the pillars. We also organise fun activities like football and hockey tournaments, team events, project visits, and an annual ski trip. Our team feels like a small company within a large organisation.'

Deloitte also offers plenty of room for personal development and innovation. Daphne: 'In addition to my regular work, I coach juniors, give soft skills workshops, and I’ve contributed to volunteer projects through the Deloitte Impact Foundation, helping highly educated and experienced refugees prepare for the Dutch labour market. I also developed an AI tool that, based on specific parameters, automatically matches the most suitable investors to real estate transactions – a kind of smart matchmaking tool. I worked on this idea together with the Technology & Innovation team, and within a year it was developed and launched. Now other Deloitte teams are using the tool too. The fact that, as a consultant, you can initiate something like this and see it really take off – that’s something special.'

"The balance of analytical solving and human interaction makes my work enjoyable."

Bart Simkens | Senior Consultant, Real Estate

Leaving a lasting mark

What unites Bart and Daphne is their drive to make a meaningful contribution – not just through clever models or strategic plans, but through work that produces real-world results. 'In the end, you’re contributing to something tangible: new residential areas, facilities or upgraded care locations. You truly leave a mark on the environment', says Bart. 'For anyone looking for intellectual challenge combined with social impact, Deloitte Real Estate is the perfect place to bring that to life.'

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