Ana Dumitrache, CTP Romania: “We focus on the expansion and construction of new buildings for our clients”

“In the next 12 months, we will focus on the expansion and construction of new buildings for our existent and new clients by providing custom-made solutions to their logistics needs, we will continue to provide premium services. We believe in our power to help businesses grow within our network and we look forward to meeting the people behind them in real life,” Ana Dumitrache, Country Head CTP Romania, told The Diplomat-Bucharest.

“Another strategic direction for 2021, aligned with the vision of CTP group for Europe, is the efficient energy use of our buildings, which not only reduces the operational costs, but it helps us reduce the carbon footprint. Sustainability is a part of our strategy and I find it mandatory to mention it as part of our growth plan for the future.”

What do you think will be the main business drivers for business growth in your company in 2021?

In 2021, we will continue to do what we did successfully in 2020 and not only. In the last two years, we managed to obtain great results in terms of business development, new clients, and new buildings: we rent a total area of ​​450,000 sqm to some of the most important players from Romania in key industries such as retail, e-commerce or automotive.

2020 was a difficult year for us, as it was for everybody, because we needed to adapt fast. But after overcoming the first two most difficult months in March and April, we managed to find a rhythm that transformed 2020 into a successful year. As such, in the next 12 months, we will focus on the expansion and construction of new buildings for our existent and new clients by providing custom-made solutions to their logistics needs, we will continue to provide premium services. We believe in our power to help businesses grow within our network and we look forward to meeting the people behind them in real life.

Another strategic direction for 2021, aligned with the vision of CTP group for Europe, is the efficient energy use of our buildings, which not only reduces the operational costs, but it helps us reduce the carbon footprint. Sustainability is a part of our strategy and I find it mandatory to mention it as part of our growth plan for the future.

Will we assist to a Great Reset-oriented strategy in business or returning to business-as-usual?

The real estate sector in the logistics industry did not suffer that much in 2020, it showed strong resilience and we expect it to continue as such. We can say that we were the lucky ones during this health crisis, and in 2021 there will be no need to readjust the business strategy or the expansion one, other than getting ourselves prepared to host e-commerce operations of retailers who either decide to go online, or to expand to online or are simply newly entering our market.

What is the flag-ship project of 2020 in your company?

It is by far the distribution centre for IKEA to be operated by Maersk due to several reasons:

• It was a very straightforward, clean, and transparent process which is corresponding to our entrepreneurial and very compliant DNA.
• The DC is going to service larger region including Turkey validating our CTPark Bucharest West location
• It is in our “monster” largest building of about 140,000 sqm GLA.
• It was planned and well organized on the tenant’s side, in a timely manner, without unnecessary pressure.
• It is a tenant appreciating the quality of our buildings, appreciating our BREEAM Excellent for that building, our 12 m clear height and the low cost of occupation we are offering.

What kind of workspace culture & values is to be consolidated in your company in 2021? 

It will be a combination of work from home and in the office – we cannot build form home, we cannot do property management from home, and I personally as a manager need to stand by our team here. But we can do accounting from home, controlling, and legal work.

We like to come to the office, we are a young team with a good spirit, and we enjoy each other’s company. Our clients also want to meet directly. We respect the rules, we wear masks, we wash our hands and stay home if we feel sick and try to live a normal stay healthy life. And we think this will continue in 2021, even if maybe the vaccine’s availability is going to improve the situation and there will be less restrictions.

What is a manager’s role and skills in order to maintain and enhance a team’s cohesion?

I am lucky to coordinate a team of super-professionals in Romania, passionate about what they do and eager to exceed their limits from project to project and from year to year. Personally, I think the power of example matters a lot in gaining the trust of your team. It is important for the manager to align his or her speech with the way he or she acts. Then, I think it’s just as important to give team members strength, to leave the decision to them, so that they take responsibility for both successes and mistakes.

At a pragmatic level, we have weekly calls/meetings in a combination of direct meetings and online presence, in which we keep up to date with the status of our projects, the difficulties that arise, brainstorm, and make decisions.

What kind of skills and capabilities need to be improved in your company / team in 2021?

Team spirit – out of silos, out of the box, different. We are working hard in channelling our efforts towards improving our services towards our clients and be even more client centred than we were so far. I sometimes imagine our business like a hospitality business, and that is the type of mentality we want to achieve and make our clients simply attached to our being always there, always available, and always helpful.

In term of general business & teams’ core-values, which are your 3 power words for 2021?

Client, client, and client.