Behind closed doors: Questions to our Managing Director Jan Hanenkamp

Reading Time: < 1 Minute - Excerpt from the newsletter 10/2022

When he thinks back on his own time in school, Jan Hanenkamp remembers that he “wasn’t exactly very hard working, and really a pretty bored pupil”. That, in his mid-30s, he would become the Managing Director of a respected medium-sized enterprise and really enjoy his job would probably have surprised a few people! Jan simply worked his way to the top, step by step. And the result was that, after qualifying as an electrician in building services and further posts as a service technician in other sectors (including HVAC), he joined project in 2008 through what was a very lucky coincidence indeed! One Friday evening, he happened to share a taxi with Dirk Hebbering, who he did not know at this time, and the two of them soon struck up a conversation. Dirk, the sales manager, waxed lyrically about an “exciting job”, and Jan won everybody over during the interview.

Coffee or tea?
Coffee, black, no sugar!!

Favourite sport?
Mountain biking and mountain climbing!

Last big holiday before the pandemic?
That was a mix of mountains and sea. It started with a bunch of lads climbing in the Dolomites for 7 days, including “iron paths” (via ferrata). We tackled stuff like the Kesselkogel (3004m) and Marmolada (3433m)! After that, I enjoyed a really relaxing Mediterranean tour with my wife.

Are you committed anyway socially?
Yeah, I’m involved in the Federal Agency for Technical Relief (THW) in the Water Hazards team as a coxswain, and I’m also involved with a Local heritage association.

Your first holiday job?
When I was 14, I worked in a garage in Hasselt, my home town, and at 15 I got a job in a painter business in Kleve.

Your first contact with technique?
My Granddad showed me a lot. The two of us even built a box for my school things! Lego was really big from the age of 5, followed by Kosmos modules, chemistry and electrical engineering – all standards on every birthday and at Christmas.

Which personality would you like to meet?
I’d like to go climbing or hiking with Barack Obama, that’d be great. No need to only have dinner! I think he’s a decent gentleman with the vision needed for economics and climate change, and so on, and he also exudes humanity, which I like.

Your favourite film?
That’s easy. Star Wars! I grew up with it and love looking at every film in the series. I also connect it with a fond memory of my childhood. We kids lay at a big fireplace at home in winter watching Star Wars – and we were allowed to stay up late!