New year, new team member! The Atterbury Europe team has welcomed a group accountant, who knows the Netherlands better than most. We spend some get-to-know time with Altus Swanepoel.

Welcome to the team, Altus! Where were you before this – were you a part of the Atterbury network already?

Thank you! It’s a great privilege and honour to be part of this amazing company and team! Before I joined Atterbury Europe I was head of reporting at a listed company in the Netherlands. Prior to that I’d spent nine years in the audit and accounting advisory at Deloitte in Namibia and the Netherlands.

I first crossed paths with Atterbury in 2015. The Grove Mall in Windhoek, Namibia (owned by Atterbury South Africa) was my audit client in the final year of my articles.

What does your role entail, and what attracted you to this position?

As the group accountant my main responsibilities include financial reporting, asset management (finance side) and assisting with tax and compliance matters. I was interested in the position because of the wide range of responsibilities, the opportunity to work with the teams in Romania, Serbia and Cyprus, and of course to work for a company like Atterbury Europe in this vibrant industry.

Where will you be based? What are the travel implications for you – are you moving?

I will be based at the Atterbury Europe head-office in Leiden, but no move is necessary – my wife, Chanelle, and I moved to the Netherlands in December 2015. We live in Hoofddorp which is about 20 minutes by train from Leiden. Chanelle is the HR business partner at Yamaha Motor’s European head office. There will be travel, though; since the real-estate assets are based outside the Netherlands I will be travelling to Cyprus monthly and to Eastern Europe a couple of times per year.

What do you like most about living in the Netherlands, and how do you know you’ve truly become acclimatised to this new country?

I really like the long summer days. As the sun sets around 22:30 it is possible to play nine holes of golf even if you tee off after 20:00 in the evening.

Also, the rest of Europe is very accessible, so we enjoy weekend trips to other European countries. And I guess you are acclimatised when you eventually become used to the directness of the Dutch!

What is your favourite Dutch expression?

“Helaas, pindakaas” which means, “too bad”. The direct translation to English is, “Unfortunately, peanut butter.”

What are you looking forward to for 2023 in this new cycle in your life?

I am excited to learn about the ins and outs of the real estate industry and to be out of my comfort zone as much possible, as I believe that is how one develops most.

What do you believe gives Atterbury Europe its edge?

Atterbury Europe has an excellent leadership team who is not afraid to think outside the box and make things happen. Also, the team has an advantage in their knowledge and in-depth understanding of the property industry, which allows them to pursue opportunities and capital projects that add value to the shareholders.