"Colleague, client, customer whisperer. Changes of perspective are what turn my job into a passion."

As part of its internationalization strategy, Deka Immobilien began to build up its local presence in Poland in 2015 in order to achieve greater market penetration. At that time I was asked whether I could see myself setting up an office for Deka in Warsaw. I was thrilled about the idea right away: designing something completely new with a strong company behind me – what an amazing challenge! On top of that, I had spent almost ten years at various companies in Munich, and I was looking for a fresh challenge that would bring me back to my native Poland anyway. So I said yes and moved to Warsaw.

The fact that I speak Polish as well as German and English and know the local customs and markets was very helpful to me as well as my colleagues in Germany. I was immediately excited to be able to contribute my ideas in a job that gave me ongoing opportunities for fresh and different perspectives.

Lukasz Laskowski has been working in the role of property manager at the Deka Immobilien regional office for Poland, located in Warsaw, since 2015.

BOUNDLESS TEAM SPIRIT

The projects we have initiated since then show how important it can be to bring local experience and international standards together. Take tenant fit-outs, for example. While in Germany the tenant usually handles this task, tenants in Poland expect the landlord to take care of it. Together with a team of architects, civil engineers and project managers in technical project management as well as the marketing department from headquarters in Frankfurt, we have defined new standards for this that meet both the expectations of local tenants and Deka’s own high quality standards.

AS AN EXAMPLE ...

... there was the comprehensive reconstruction of an existing high-rise building in central Warsaw. With a budget of five million euros, we completely updated the property within just twelve months and while operations were ongoing – including a new lobby, renovated lifts and vestibules and a Garden Lounge in the atrium occupying more than 400 square meters – with the addition of modern meeting zones, inviting lounge areas and a convenient cycling infrastructure with showers, changing rooms and parking spaces. It was a big challenge in both technical and organizational terms, but also extremely successful. Today, the building is a real showpiece: the property combines sustainability, functionality and design at the highest level, which makes it a sought-after address for discerning tenants. To me personally, this project shows once again how much can be achieved with innovative ideas, a clear vision and strong teamwork.

WHY DEKA?

What I especially like about working at Deka Immobilien is our passion. We don’t just manage real estate here. We design spaces, and sometimes even entire city districts, where people enjoy living and that work for our tenants, our investors and our company. People from a wide variety of countries work together across different locations within our asset management team. This diversity is a huge asset in our work. We meet regularly, compare notes and work together on projects. Trust, responsibility and collegial cooperation connect us across international boundaries, nationalities and different locations.

CULTURE OF FEEDBACK AT DEKA

I really appreciate that at Deka, mistakes are viewed not as disasters, but as opportunities to learn. That’s why we talk openly about what happened and how we can do better next time. This solution-oriented attitude carries through everything we do as we work together. And that creates an atmosphere where people aren’t afraid to bring things up – exactly what we need if we want to be successful together.