While working on acquisitions in the Benelux as Capital Deployment Analyst, Miel Aerts believes careful listening is one of the most important things to really know what customers need. We talked to Miel about his work, his challenges, and his passions.

Can you tell us about your background?

Miel: I studied Real Estate Investments at the University of Technology in Sydney, Australia. Straight after graduating, I started working at Prologis. My first two years at Prologis consisted of a Graduate Traineeship, where I rotated through different departments in Germany, Sweden and the Netherlands. At first, I wanted to go in banking. But while speaking to various people during my interviews, most of whom were working for Prologis for 10 years or more, I realized just how passionate they were about the company and their job. So, it became clear pretty quickly that Prologis really was the company that I wanted to work for. And to this day, I haven’t regretted it for one second. 

What are your main responsibilities in your job?

Miel: I work as Capital Deployment Analyst where I work on acquisitions in the Benelux. My main tasks (besides eating a lot of Belgian jokes from my Dutch coworkers) consist of underwriting deals and writing investment memo’s.

What’s it like for you to work at Prologis?

Miel: It’s a great mixture between challenging and rewarding. The bar is high, but we do get a lot for it in return. I think the general culture we have here is one where both Prologis and the employees give more than what is expected of them.

Customer centricity is a core value at Prologis, how do you apply this in your day-to-day business?

Miel: Mostly by listening. What do our customers want, what are our customers needs? If we listen carefully, it enables us to go out there in the correct markets and buy the kind of Real Estate that is desired.

Outside of work, what hobbies and passions do you enjoy?

Miel: Big part of my free time goes to spending time with friends and loved ones. Going for food, a concert or an art exhibition are the things that get me recharged. Other from that I try to see a new part of the world every year. 

What’s the best life advice that you’d like to share?

Miel: It’s a piece of advice that I got from my physics teacher when I was 16 and for some reason it always stuck with me: ‘If the conversation is about something you don’t know anything about, don’t try to talk along. Just shut up and admit you don’t know anything about it, cause you’re going to sound dumb otherwise.’