NACCSE
May’s Member spotlight : Arcadis
 What is your business industry category or specialty?
Arcadis is the leading global design and consulting firm for natural and built assets. We contribute to the world’s most high-profile and transformative projects, from shopping centers in Shanghai and improved traffic flow in Atlanta to state-of-the-art rail systems in Doha, coastal defenses for Manhattan and cleaner air in Los Angeles. My role is project manager in Transportation, leading large Rail and Road projects throughout the nation.
How do you describe your job to people outside the industry?
Transportation, quite literally, makes the world go around. But rapidly increasing urbanization, shrinking budgets and sensitivity to the natural environment demand an innovative approach to advance the future of mobility in all its forms and functions. As a project manager, I help my clients developing advanced Rail and Road infrastructure projects through innovation and transformational thinking. Together, we help meet the demands of tomorrow – today.
Who are your main competitors and what differentiates you from the competition?
What makes you unique?
Whatever the challenge, Arcadis delivers exceptional and sustainable outcomes for our clients. We work collaboratively to create value through built and natural assets that work in harmony with their surroundings.
How was the business started?
Arcadis has a long and rich history, tracing its roots back to the Association for Wasteland Redevelopment in the Netherlands in 1888, whilst Hyder Consulting, which Arcadis acquired in 2014, can trace its history back to 1875. From this strong Dutch heritage, Arcadis has grown organically and through acquisitions to be one of the leading global natural and built asset design & consultancy firms.
How many employees does the business have?
Arcadis has 27,000 people working in more than 70 countries, of which around 300 people in Atlanta. Our culture is collaborative, we believe in diversity and the power of (global) teamwork. Our Atlanta office consists of engineering and consultancy professionals with many different cultural backgrounds, from India to the US and from England to the Middle East.
How did you end up in Atlanta?
After having worked for almost 10 years in the Netherlands in various roles, I felt a strong ambition to expand my world and work abroad for a while. Atlanta is the hub for many of our Transportation professionals in the US, and I really liked the city, the area and weather during my previous visits. Together with my wife Esmee and son Mats we relocated to Atlanta early 2017. Since March 2018 we expanded our family with our second son Julian
What is your number one business goal over the next year?
My number one business goal is to grow collaboration with our global experts to bring the best of our company to US transportation clients. In Europe for example, we have a very strong core of engineers and consultants in Rail. With the growing demand for Transit in American cities, there is a huge opportunity to grow our business here utilizing our local relationships combined with global expertise.
What is the best advice you have received regarding doing business with the Dutch/Americans?
As a Dutchman in the US, I mostly use the advice that my manager often uses, consisting of 3 H’s: Honesty, Humility and Humor. Both with our clients and with colleagues I want to be honest, whether it is a positive or negative message. In the end, being honest and humble to each other generates the best results. And adding a flavor of humor makes every conversation better.
Any other personal information you would like to share, e.g. hobbies, special interests, family etc…
I like to be outdoors and am a big sports fan, both exercising myself and watching. I like cycling, running, and all ball sports. And with at least one interesting game on television every night and teams in all major sports in the city there is more than enough to do!
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