We may be a small company, but we think big. Our enthusiastic, smart and compatible team members are not held back by large-developer’s ways. Every team member is free to use their entrepreneurial skills and deploy their talents to the max. Meet our team.
Sweden-born Johan Körner acquired his first property at 22: a fishing cottage in Stockholm. He had two wishes: to run his own business and to go abroad. His work for a daughter company of the Austrian National Bank took him for projects to Vienna, Budapest, Bratislava, and Amsterdam. ‘I admire the trade mentality of the Dutch, there is always an opening to do business.’ In 1991, Johan set up his first real estate company and in 2013, he and Richard started Porten Development. ‘The flexibility of a small team is our strength. We rarely participate in public tenders: that’s all just red tape. Connecting owners, investors, municipalities and contractors is my main goal. We’ll bring in the concept and explore our network to find the best match for a specific project. Then it will fly!’
At a young age, Richard became fascinated by real estate, and after working as a realtor and a corporate real estate consultant, he finally found his passion in developing areas into neighborhoods where people love to live, work and interact. In his work, elderly people and their living conditions have his special interest. ‘Getting every party on the same page to create something valuable gives me so much satisfaction. It’s not just putting a building on the map, it’s creating a hospitable community that is future proof for people of all ages, because of its set-up. If we succeed in that we are leaving a beautiful legacy for future generations.’
Before Chris joined Porten Development, he was project director at MAB, hence he developed a thorough knowledge of the development business. He knows how to take a helicopter view and look at a project from all angles, getting all parties lined up facing the same direction. Cost calculation is his daily fare. ‘The freedom we all have at Porten to reach our goals is very inspiring. I love that we do projects that we can be proud of.Thanks to our vast network of specialized architects, building contractors, engineers, and fellow developers we can develop creative inner-city projects that will please their users today as well as in the future.’
Wouter and Johan go back more than 15 years and their co-operation is built on mutual understanding and synergy. As a trained builder, Wouter knows the ropes when it comes to technical requirements, the operational process and logistics. Moreover, he loves getting municipalities and investors on board. Even when there are obstacles. ‘The process within the municipality can be intensive, but those challenges make it interesting! The key word is ‘cooperation’. Creating things never goes smoothly, but when you proceed from general to detail, it all comes together… I love to see ‘nothing’ develop into ‘something’, a place where people can thrive.’
Despite his young age, Sander’s thorough feasibility studies, which incorporate both the developers and the investors’ perspective, are rooted in a vast experience in the financial world. However, his versatility landed him at Porten, where he discovered his other passion: sustainable building. Sander wants to be sure that buildings fit seamlessly into their environment. ‘A building has to be a place to meet, healthy, and welcoming. It has to contribute to its environment, that’s why I like to create houses and offices that have added value for everyone. Green roofs and terraces, and inner gardens, for example. That’s biodiversity at its best.’
