In the third episode of 'CEOs on course', financial journalist Paul Laseur drives Kemal Sağlam to the Cartesius project in Utrecht. There, Ballast Nedam, together with project developer MRP, is transforming the former NS shunting yard into a neighborhood 'where people can live longer, healthier and happier'. Along the way, topics such as sustainability, the search for talent and the business climate will be discussed.
S1#3: Kemal Sağlam, CEO van Ballast Nedam, over het Europese
Bettter business climate in the United States
'Many patents are applied for in Europe every year, but bureaucracy and a complicated application process for permits often prevent ideas from being put into practice. Many companies therefore move to the United States, where the business climate is better in this respect’, says Sağlam, who is quick to add that Ballast Nedam has no plans to leave the Netherlands.
'But we are expanding our international network to be better balanced with the different macroeconomic conditions around the world. I still think the Netherlands is the best country in Europe for us to be based in. But overall, some structural changes need to happen in Europe to stay in the global competition.’
An unpredictable market
Sağlam became CEO of Ballast Nedam four years ago, and it was not the best time to take up the position, he says. 'It was the beginning of a turbulent period. First, of course the Corona pandemic, then the war in Ukraine. Rising energy and material prices made our lives very difficult. In 2019, the construction and infrastructure market was booming, and then suddenly everything became unpredictable.’
As a result, Ballast Nedam, like many other companies, started to make more of a distinction between short-term actions and long-term strategy. 'For the time being, we are still dealing with political uncertainty and, therefore, changes in, for example, our supply chain. Our long-term strategy remains important, but if you want to survive as a company, you simply have to deal with the current challenges.'
The best talent
Sağlam’s long-term vision is clear: 'Ballast Nedam does not need to become the largest construction company in the Netherlands. We want to be a specialised, profitable and healthy company with sustainable products. That is why we are now focusing on climate change in all our projects. We also want to be the “employer of choice” in the market. We need the best talent for our transformation.'
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