Vera Wesskallnies is an Executive Project Manager and the Head of Gleeds’ office in Hamburg.
Alongside supporting the team and fostering a culture of collaboration and excellence, her responsibilities include the strategic development of the office, managing key client relationships, and overseeing the successful delivery of complex construction projects, from planning through to completion. Vera is actively involved in projects herself, while working with her team to deliver to the highest standards.
A typical day for Vera begins with taking her children to school, as “a perfect way to balance family and work life”, before heading into the office or, depending on the project, a construction site. Her days are usually filled with meetings and coordination tasks, both internally and with clients and project stakeholders. Motivated by working with international clients and the opportunity to operate in a bilingual environment, Vera enjoys working in teams and thriving in diverse, fast-paced project delivery.
Vera was drawn to the construction industry by the need to combine creativity, technical expertise and structure. Studying architecture was a natural entry point for her to shine in this field and, attracted to Gleeds for its international outlook and the wide variety of services and project types, it was a perfect fit.
Her proudest achievement has been building strong, long-term client relationships, which has led to managing projects beyond the Hamburg region. Vera is also recognised for the development of the Hamburg office, both in terms of team growth and the positive, collaborative culture they have established. In addition to this, while being able to thrive and progress with her career, Vera has had two children. She believes that Gleeds has provided her with the flexibility and trust needed to balance family and work, enabling her to take on a leadership role at management level.
Outside of work, Vera enjoys spending time with her family, which is important to her personal life. She also likes to play tennis and cook - especially trying out new recipes! During the holiday seasons, she often heads to the mountains for skiing or hiking, exploring new countries and cultures with her family. If she had not studied architecture, Vera says she “imagines doing something more hands-on, such as training as a carpenter”.
In recent years, Vera has developed a growing interest in legal topics, especially in the context of contracts and negotiations, which she now encounters regularly in her day-to-day work.