“My parents taught me not to blindly follow others,
but to do what I love.”

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• Name: Kim Vanuytsel 
• Age: 34
• Studies: Bachelor Interior Design (HoGent) and Master Interior Architecture (LUCA School of Arts)
• Function: Project Manager Space Planning
• Hobbies: Attending football training and matches of my two little footballers, city trips, nights out with friends.

Kim Vanuytsel, 34, works as a Project Manager for the Space Planning Team at VINCI Facilities. Together with her team, she works on site and follows up office and retail projects from A till Z.

Is Project Manager your dream job?

Kim: Yes, I wanted to do something with Space Planning from a very young age. According to my parents, I always drew houses or pieces of furniture, while other girls rather drew ponies or Barbie dolls. Thanks to a colleague of my mum’s, I later discovered interior design. She showed me the way to possible study programs. My parents taught me that I shouldn’t blindly follow others, but that I should do what I like. I have certainly succeeded in that. It’s a demanding job with a high workload, but at the same time it is very varied and enormously interesting. 

Do you manage to find a good balance between your job and private life?

Kim: Of course, I have a demanding job, but VINCI Energies is 100% flexible in this respect. Because I can choose my own hours, it actually goes very smoothly. I can often pick up my children from school and do a bit of catching up in the evening. In many other companies, employees don’t get that chance. In addition, I am lucky that my husband also works flexible hours, so he can help look after the children, otherwise it would be more difficult. So it is tough, but I have always felt that my employer gives me the opportunity to combine my busy job with my family and private life. 

Do you sometimes feel like a woman in a man’s world at VINCI Energies? 

Kim: I notice that the gender balance is recovering in the younger generation. There are more and more women nowadays, also in really technical positions. That is a very positive trend. Even though I work in a technical company, it is unique that my team only consists of women. We are an exception, but I certainly don’t see that as a disadvantage. One of the reasons is that at VINCI Energies, women are seen as equal to men and there is no prejudice. At our company, I personally have never experienced that a woman was denied a job due to gender discrimination. VINCI Energies is committed to fairness. Everyone, male or female, must prove themselves equal and that is how it should be.