Settling into new cultures, learning new languages and packing a passport for work meetings… this has been the reality for Atterbury Europe’s Development Manager Roux Gerber over the last several years. Freshly settled in the Romanian capital of Bucharest with his family, this experienced globe trotter shares his advice for living and working as a true citizen of the world.

You must be Atterbury’s most experienced migrant – you’ve lived in Mauritius and Ghana before to oversee projects for Atterbury and now you have moved to Romania as Atterbury Europe’s Development Manager… what is your secret for adapting to a new environment?
Adapting to changes in your environment is challenging under any circumstances and you need a solid foundation. For me, that foundation is at home.  A happy family, in particular a happy spouse, is the most important element when you’re in a totally different environment far from your regular support structures. One has to be willing and dedicated to integrate into the new social environment. The effort has to start with you, as these new relationships you form will become your essential future support systems. Atterbury has been incredible in extending its caring family culture into every new venture I’ve been involved in, which has helped to make the transitions as easy as possible. They put in the effort to minimise any concerns about family, safety and the softer issues of daily life, making it so much easier to get on with the work challenges in a new environment. As a family we have an open mind about the changes, and we really value everything Atterbury does to help us create a home away from home.  So I’d say for me the secret to making a success of a new situation is a diverse skills set, backed by years of experience, and a supportive, open-minded wife. Having a happy family is a non-negotiable.

When did you move to Bucharest from Mauritius, and why was this city particularly chosen for an Atterbury Europe base instead of having you live in Leiden with the rest of the AE team? How often do you see the rest of the team?
I’ve been in Bucharest since March, but my family joined me and we moved as a family to the Pipera suburb barely four weeks ago. Our new home is located close to the Bucharest office, the kids’ school, the airport and all needed retail and recreational amenities.

Romania is a major focus area for Atterbury Europe and connectivity from Bucharest to the rest of Romania and to Serbia and to Cyprus is also very good. It has been proven time and time again, from a development point of view, that Atterbury’s approach to be present on the ground where your assets are being developed is a winning recipe.

Thanks to today’s technology video conference calls are so easy and as the Atterbury Europe team we are in contact with each other almost daily.  We also have various monthly meetings where we physically meet, either in Romania, Serbia, Cyprus or The Netherlands.

What in particular are you enjoying about living and working in Bucharest in particular, and Romania as a whole?
Living in Bucharest can be as difficult or easy as you make it for yourself. Having said that, it’s always a good start when the new country has a huge braai culture and excellent wines!

There are many positives – the city offers first-world facilities in a very safe environment. There are various water bodies, forests, parks and kiddies’ play areas integrated into the normal facilities that you’d find in any modern European city. Medical services and schooling are of the highest level and the development and upkeep of infrastructure – the emphasis on constantly improving the city – are also positive signs of a caring community. The architecture of the city is amazing, and one can understand why Bucharest was historically referred to as “Little Paris”.

Of course there are some challenges – the public transport systems, for instance, are underdeveloped in some areas, so everyone drives private cars, which causes significant traffic problems. I have to plan my day around the traffic.

Language is a huge barrier and English is hardly spoken outside the formal business environment.  For example, it is very difficult to find someone who can speak English to help in the house, and if you can find someone, it comes with a steep price tag.

We like the safety, the fact that there are loads of green spaces, and all the First World amenities. We’ll make an effort to learn the language to help us fully integrate into the Romanian culture –  and being a braai master already helps!

As for working in Romania, it’s been a pleasure to work and relate with like-minded people, who have the same passion about everything they do. The “marriage” between Atterbury Europe and Iulius Group has been as good as it gets. There will always be the challenges to integrate, but the similarity in business ethics and culture is amazing and it’s been a privilege to be part of this new venture in Europe.

And your family?  How have Tracy and the boys adapted?
Tracy has been the most amazing and supportive wife a man could wish for!  She grew up as part of an expat family in Mauritius, where she was born, so she’s very used to the circumstances of expat contract living. For instance, you always know that your newly formed friendship will be of short duration due to the nature of contact cycles… So Tracy has been happy and supportive of every move I’ve made with Atterbury and now Atterbury Europe. We welcomed a new little one earlier this year, he’s called Declan. Graeson, who’s six, and Sloan, who’s three, have started at Kings Oak British International School in Bucharest; it’s an outstanding school with state-of-the-art facilities and wonderful staff. There are still tears in the morning when we say goodbye, but it quickly turns into laughter and excitement in an amazing learning and playing environment.

Tell us a bit more about your role on the Atterbury Europe team. Are there specific projects that you focus on or do you work across all the European developments? How many projects are currently underway?
My role as head of development for Atterbury Europe is focused on Romania, Serbia and Cyprus for now.

In Romania, in partnership with Iulius Group, we’re in the final stages of the Timisoara mixed-used development which entails the expansion of the existing Iulius Mall, the creation of a park and lake on top of a double basement parking structure, upgrading of the infrastructure and developing four office towers, of which the last one is scheduled for delivery mid-2021. We are currently in the planning stages of two new major mixed-used developments in Romania and will in due course reveal more details of these.

In Serbia, in partnership with MPC, we’re far advanced with the development of a shopping mall in Belgrade that will have 45 000 sqm gross lettable area. It is scheduled to open mid-2020 and progress is well on track.

In Cyprus, we’re in the final stages before handing over the newly expanded Mall of Cyprus. Planning for the expansion of the Mall of Engomi is far advanced and we’re also investigating new development opportunities on the island.

Is there one project that you are particularly passionate about, and what makes that so personally fulfilling for you?
I am passionate about the relationship between Atterbury Europe and Iulius Group. The synergy between the two companies is like a match made in heaven… the dedication, focus on detail and quality projected by everyone are second to none. I take great pleasure in working with the Iulius team and to be part of the formation of the Attrius family, and so the planned new Romanian projects under the Attrius flag are particularly close to my heart.

Conversely, what is the most challenging project at this stage and how do you manage that? Has anything changed materially in the way you work since Atterbury Europe became an independent entity?
The approach in Europe has been, where possible, to design any scheme in its totality prior to the start of construction, with strong input from our local partner. This means upfront pressure on design development, but has the result that delivery becomes simpler and a less risky process for the owner. And as long as there are no design changes due to fluctuating market conditions, this works well.

We have strong partners in every country where we’re active, which helps with language issues, local knowledge and existing relationships in the development and construction environments. Our Atterbury Europe team, under the leadership of CEO Henk Deist, has a diverse skills set across development, financing, treasury, asset management, property management and project structuring, and as and when it is required, additional supporting resources are contracted in.

Between head office in Leiden and business in Cyprus, Serbia and Romania, can you give us an idea of your monthly travel schedule?
Travelling in Europe is relatively easy with many flight choices, although flight delays are an unfortunate norm. Project meetings are normally scheduled every fortnight, which means that I travel for five days every two weeks.  Here’s a typical travel cycle:

Day 1:

Flight Bucharest to Timisoara (5:00)
Meetings, site visit in Timisoara
Road trip, Timisoara to Belgrade, Serbia (depart 16:00, arrive 19:00)

Day 2:

Meetings in Belgrade

Day 3:

Meetings, site visits in Belgrade
Flight Belgrade to Larnaca, Cyprus (midnight)

Day 4:

Arrive at hotel in Larnaca (5:00)
Meetings, Cyprus

Day 5:

Meetings, Cyprus
Flight Larnaca to Bucharest (depart 14:00, arrive 17:00)

Is there anything that you never travel without (except for the work necessities)? You must have perfected the art of packing efficiently. Care to share some secrets?
The trick is to travel as light as possible and never to check in luggage. Having your toiletries in a see-through bag helps, and you may get away with keeping your deodorant. I cannot count how many times I have donated mine at the security scanners…