Keeping Real Estate in Focus

Ivonne Brodkorb has been with us since January 2023. As a construction manager in the Real Estate Department, she deals with the new openings and re-openings of the Hammer Speciality Stores and Schlau Crafts Markets as well as being the first point of contact for the conversion work there and for all architectural matters.

In 2001, Ivonne Brodkorb completed her training as an industrial clerk and, as a result of her interest in construction processes, gained her first insights into building topics and the materials used. After some further training and her first team management position, Ivonne Brodkorb decided to emigrate to Switzerland in 2008 and gain a professional foothold there. Working as a project assistant at Zurich Airport for a local electrical installation company, she was responsible for drawing up deficiency reports and recording the construction process. Many further training courses in process and project management and in company organisation followed.

Ivonne Brodkorb found her time and the working environment in Switzerland very pleasant but also challenging. “Living in Switzerland is not like going on holiday there. You first have to establish yourself professionally and show that the quality of your work matches the high standards of the company in question. But once you have a foot in the door, you are part of the “you” mentality,” says the 43-year-old.

Lucky for us, she returned to Germany after 14 years in Switzerland. While on holiday, she became interested in the advertised position of Site Manager at the Brueder Schlau Group and was immediately invited for an interview. This was done via Teams from her Zurich flat and within a few weeks she moved to the head office in Porta Westfalica and was given a permanent position there. “The first impression was very important for me. I visited the head office beforehand, spoke to future colleagues, and immediately felt at home. I also liked Porta Westfalica, the urban jungle in Zurich was often too much for me,” reports Ms. Brodkorb.

No two days are the same.

I spend a lot of time travelling to construction sites, talking to tradespeople and working closely with contracting companies from different sectors so that we end up with beautiful retail spaces.

Her current day-to-day work in the property department is extremely diverse, supervising and coordinating the construction work at the various locations. “No two days are the same. I spend a lot of time travelling to construction sites, talking to tradespeople and working closely with contracting companies from different sectors so that we end up with beautiful retail spaces.” She also enjoys seeing the steady progress of a project. A particular highlight was her first opening of the Hammer Specialist Store in Wesel. “Every project begins on a sheet of paper. The opening of the Hammer store in Wesel was my first project. Of course, there was a lot of excitement about how everything would fit together harmoniously in the end,” she says.

The property department covers many areas, including construction management, facility management, shop fitting and energy management. Ivonne Brodkorb finds the structure of colleagues in the team particularly positive. The induction programme was based on a structured plan. “I felt at home right from the start and my colleagues integrated me straight away from day one. The work shadowing in a Hammer Speciality Store and a Schlau Crafts Market really helped me to get a feel for the new challenges. I enjoy coming to work every day. You receive a warm welcome and you now you’re not in some anonymous company, but rather a family-run business. I really notice that.” She emphasises the flexitime model as well as the many offers for employees, such as free beverages, corporate benefits, and bicycle leasing.