Gertjan joined Pondera in August 2023. He is an experienced consultant and project manager with over 18 years of experience in spatial planning. We asked Gertjan some questions to get to know him better. 

Can you tell us some more about your background?

I graduated from Wageningen University (WUR) as a landscape architect. In my work I adopt a comprehensive and integral approach to develop sustainable energy across different landscapes. My career in the Netherlands began in various landscape architectural firms, following over 14 years with two international consultancies, Arcadis and Ramboll. I got involved into sustainable energy generation, particularly wind and solar as well as transport infrastructure. It later extended to offshore wind projects and studies for regional wind plans. The complexity of projects on a large scale captivates me and my strength lies in merging knowledge from different disciplines and balancing various perspectives. 

How long have you lived in Finland?

I moved to Finland in 2020 amid the corona pandemic. After working at Ramboll for two years, I took a gap year to concentrate on learning the Finnish language. While English is widely spoken in Finland, I find it important to master the language myself. Although I am not fluent in Finnish yet, my speaking skills and comprehension have certainly improved. 

How do you like living in Finland?

We live in Lempäälä near Tampere, about 150 km north of Helsinki. It is a beautiful landscape and I fully enjoy being outside in nature. We live close to a lake where we enjoy swimming and kayaking in summers. We have an old wooden house, so there is always something to be done. Finnish winters can be cold, but ice-skating and skiing keeps you warm. Occasionally the Northern Lights add a beautiful sight in winter. 

How did you end up at Pondera?

While attending the Vaasa Energy Week in Finland, I had the pleasure to meet Bastiaan Bor. We talked about market developments in renewable energy. Pondera then asked me to join the company to help strengthen its presence in the Baltic region. Having collaborated previously, I am very pleaesed that Pondera, which is at the forefront of renewable energy in the market, once again came my way.  

What is your role within Pondera?

Pondera wants to contribute to the development of renewable energy in Finland, and my role is to spearhead this. Pondera is also active in the Baltic countries and Poland. My focus is on business development and building networks. We collaborate closely with our partners, like Etha Wind in Finland.  

In addition, I am engaged in several projects in the Netherlands. My colleagues at Pondera have various backgrounds and unique specialties and we complement each other well. I enjoy the challenge of combining different insights and perspectives, forging connections and thereby advancing the planning process of renewable energy projects.