Jacquelina Dankfort

Cooperation is the key to success. As Country Manager, I have contact with all our clients, to understand their objectives and make sure the teams are fully aware of them. It’s also important that we are working as part of one team with the client. I drive a service-oriented culture in our team, as this is key to providing a great client experience.

I started working in port and environmental planning in Brazil and had the chance to develop the strategy to transfer the operations of the Port of Rio de Janeiro to free up the area for urban redevelopment. I was invited to be part of an infrastructure research program sponsored by the Dutch Ministry of Economy at the Delft University of Technology in the Netherlands, related to adding value in supply chains through port planning. Afterwards, I worked as project lead on the development and implementation of built asset management systems for railways in Brazil, digitalizing entire portfolios. Next, I went into key account and service management for the largest global furniture manufacturer and then started my own design and project management firm where I worked for 15 years in the corporate occupier sector.

Q. How do you contribute to Turner & Townsend making a difference?

A. I think my biggest contribution is developing good relationships with clients and colleagues, and aligning our team with the client’s objectives. We are a people business and deal with people on the client side. As a result, clients like working with us, because we are fun and easy to work with and understand their business

Q. Describe your typical day.

A. My days usually start very early with calls, global or regional, because of the Mexico City time zone. When I don’t have calls or early meetings, I go to pilates at the gym before going to work. About half of my day I am in meetings, the rest I divide between supporting the teams, doing admin and working on business development. Some days I’ll have events to attend at night, or participate in team events. As the city is very big, I plan my day as much as possible to avoid spending too much time in traffic.

Q. How do you see your career progressing at Turner & Townsend?

A. There are always new opportunities to progress as our business grows. I prefer activities that keep me connected to the wider business. As I come from an academic background, I have a passion for teaching and training people, which will be necessary as we grow. In the future, we might even have a Turner & Townsend Academy where we can train our people from around the globe.