Introducing: Martin de Koning, Movares (MUG)

Can you briefly tell us something about yourself and your role as project manager?

My name is Martin de Koning. I have been working at the former MUG, now Movares, as a project manager since September 2024, and at the end of last year I also became involved in the tender for the VBK projects. The Hollands Noorderkwartier Water Authority is no stranger to me. In my employment history , I employment history regularly worked for the water authority in various roles at various employers. These were always interesting projects with regional impact, which appeals to me. All the more reason to actively contribute to this from my new role. My motivation is multifaceted: I am a true North Hollander and enjoy the polder landscape as we know it. HHNK also plays an important role in this. It is incredibly cool to be involved in your living environment in this way and to be able to guarantee its safety and future. 

What motivates you most in your work as a project manager?

Working with a shared interest through honest, high-quality work, a practical approach, and good, safe results. I am also excited that HHNK's approach is practical and focused on implementation. With a background in construction, I am a proponent of working effectively. We are still searching for that balance, but we will find it quickly within theprogramme.

What project are you currently working on, and who are you collaborating with on it?

We are now active in Schagerkogge, the polder east of Schagen and north of Kolhorn. Thomas is the project leader from HHNK and Esmee is Steven Lenten's counterpart, who are jointly tackling the environmental issue.

Do you have a tip or best practice that you would like to share with fellow project managers?

Always try to put yourself in the shoes of all stakeholders within a project, location, or bottleneck. A little empathy to understand the different interests and to look for common ground and where you can meet each other is, in my opinion, the essence of collaboration. And here, too, the following certainly applies: alone you may go faster, but together you will go much further.

What appeals to you about working for HHNK?

Local involvement, working with water, and looking to the future. For me, these are the three aspects that make the projects enjoyable.