My name is Aart-Jan Smit, and I live in Oldenzaal with my wife and our two children. After studying Mechanical Engineering and completing an additional study in Business Administration, I started my career in the industry. Six years ago, I made the switch to Bilfinger, where I have since been working as a Business Development Manager.

The combination of sales and strategy

What appeals to me most about this role is the mix of identifying commercial opportunities and strategic thinking. My work is all about creating new opportunities: new customers, new markets, or introducing new propositions. Whereas account managers focus primarily on day-to-day operations and short-term projects at their accounts, I tend to look further ahead. For me, it is not just about achieving my sales targets this year, but above all about laying a solid foundation for the years to come. It is precisely this combination of sales and strategy that makes my work interesting and challenging.

A workday can vary greatly: from meetings with colleagues and clients to project discussions, tender processes, or customer visits. What always remains important to me is building relationships. Personal contact is essential to truly understand what clients value most and how we, at Bilfinger, can make a difference.

Proud of Design & Build

One project I am particularly proud of is the development of our Design & Build proposition. In this approach, the Business Units Engineering and Projects of Bilfinger in Belgium and the Netherlands combine their strength: from design up to realization.I wrote this business plan and presented it to our management at the end of 2022. It was not an easy process. However, thanks to the acquisition of Stork by Bilfinger in 2024, we got exactly the expertise needed to set the concept in motion. The first assignment is now a fact and I see how this approach is becoming more widely supported. That is incredibly rewarding.

International perspective

My work also offers unique international opportunities. Recently, for instance, I visited Saudi Arabia, where a futuristic project is under construction. Bilfinger provided the engineering for the first phases of this project. Walking around in an environment where robots are driving around and smart technology is already part of daily life feels like stepping twenty years into the future. It is special to contribute, as Bilfinger, to such innovative developments that are directly linked to sustainability and the future of the industry.

Collaboration and building trust

What I value about Bilfinger is the open, collegial culture. We work in a multidisciplinary way, making full use of each other’s expertise. In my role, I often act as a bridge between the client and our internal specialists. It is not only about ensuring that a proposal is technically correct, but above all about making the client feel that we have truly understood their needs. Building trust in those very first conversations is crucial. When that succeeds, enthusiasm grows on both sides. That bond of trust is often decisive for the further course of a project.

From the first client request to final delivery, different specialists are involved at each stage. For me, the challenge is always to bring together exactly the right team for each client and project. Along the way, I learn a great deal from the in-depth expertise of my colleagues, and together that makes us stronger.

Working at Bilfinger

Within the commercial team, there is a pleasant, informal atmosphere. We meet monthly in Utrecht for our sales meeting, which always ends with a shared lunch. In addition, we regularly organize fun outings and social events. Sometimes we even gather at a colleague’s home for an elaborate Indonesian buffet. It feels a bit like being good neighbors: you may not see each other every day, but there is always trust, support, and a warm connection.

A future with perspective

In the coming years, I see my role developing into a more overarching position, one in which I bring the full range of Bilfinger’s services, from engineering and maintenance to scaffolding, to the attention of our clients. It is precisely this broad, strategic dialogue with clients at higher management levels that greatly appeals to me.

For me, the future at Bilfinger is all about growth, collaboration, and innovation. Whether it concerns the energy transition, improving efficiency, or international opportunities, I am convinced that with our broad expertise we can make a meaningful contribution. And that shared impact is what drives me.