A handover rooted in trust and vision: A conversation between outgoing Commercial Director Wout van der Waal and his successor Jaap-Jan Smit
After 28 years at BAM — the last years as Commercial Director of BAM Wonen — Wout van der Waal is stepping down. In an open and honest conversation with his successor Jaap-Jan Smit, he reflects on his career, the changes within the sector, and shares his vision for the future of the housing market and BAM. What follows is not a formal handover, but a meeting between two generations united by a shared mission: building towards a sustainable future.
‘I may be stepping out of the spotlight, but I’m not gone,’ Wout says with a smile. It reflects his deep sense of commitment. He leaves behind a team he has carefully built, within an organisation that in recent years has clearly set a course towards sustainability, inclusivity and climate adaptation. ‘It’s given me energy,” he says. ‘And I see that same energy in you, Jaap-Jan.’
