After 14 years at the helm of Swietelsky Rail Benelux, CEO John Weijtmans has stepped down from this role as of May 31, 2024, passing the baton to Niek Lentink. Together with John, we would like to reflect on his journey and how he envisions the future of Swietelsky from the sidelines. Because he certainly is not saying goodbye to the railway world to take up golfing just yet.
Having something for each other
That is Swietelsky Rail Benelux. That is the signature John leaves behind. You see it reflected in team formation, in the motivation and loyalty of the people. A young group of professionals who are proud of what they deliver. “Rail is such a beautiful product. The younger generation thinks in terms of green, sustainable, and their ecological footprint. The railway sector is navigating that as well. We involve people in the company. The workload can sometimes be high, so relaxation together is very important,” emphasizes John.
The most joy
John derives joy from the development of ‘his’ company. “Fourteen years ago, Swietelsky Rail Benelux did not exist. There was nothing. Now there is a railway construction company with a healthy equity. Including all the licenses you can think of. There are companies that take forty years to achieve that! It was an adventure.” The main reason for embarking on that adventure is the privatization of the market. “In every European country, it was arranged differently. I found it wonderful to respond to that. I traveled far and wide. That was fulfilling. It’s in your blood. My grandfather was in railway construction, my father worked there. I am a railway believer.”
Thinking in solutions
Waiting for your competitor to come up with something is not John’s mindset: “You have to think in solutions. The future of train security is that trains will communicate with each other. A Tesla has such a system. Talk to Tesla and strengthen each other!” Another example. The universities of Dresden (D), Graz (AUT), and Zurich (CH) have long been conducting collaborative research on the subgrade in countries with soft soil. “The Netherlands has that. We are a delta country. With high water levels. Low water levels. Resulting in ground subsidence. Just like those countries. The Netherlands has always rejected a role in that collaboration. The same applies here: strengthen each other!” And that brings him to his other passion.
Climate adaptation
Climate change, or rather: adapting to it, sparks great interest in John. He sees Dutch people abroad taking wonderful measures to prevent risks such as flooding. We need to apply that knowledge more in our own country. “Take a tunnel under the railway, for example. The electricity in such a tunnel is often at the lowest point. You now regularly see children swimming through such a flooded tunnel on the news, but that is life-threatening.” According to John, it is important to respond well in the future in the field of engineering to the adjustments needed to mitigate the effects of climate change.
John remains active in the railway world
Colleagues will still hear John’s characteristic laugh in the hallways. With his more than 40 years of railway experience, he will remain involved with Swietelsky as a sort of advisor: “I ensure that we maintain strategic alignment with market developments. Business development. Looking at adjacent markets. For example, how we will tackle the energy transition, because without electricity, there is no railway and no running trains.”
The future
John is resolute: “Choose the railway sector! That is where the future lies. Just look along the highway. Every parking lot is full of trucks. The roads are getting congested. Think in solutions. The heavy work needs to be automated. More robots. Fewer dirty hands. So that they can be deployed in other ways. You should actually start looking for the talent of the future in high schools. So that we later have enough well-trained people. To secure the future of the railway sector. If we don’t do that, the Netherlands will come to a standstill in five years.”
Transfer of leadership
As of June 1, 2024, Niek Lentink will be the CEO of Swietelsky Rail Benelux. Niek brings a wealth of experience and a fresh vision. After serving as the Operational Director for several years and mastering the Swietelsky language as John’s right-hand man, now is the time to take over the helm with John still on the sidelines as an advisor for the time being.
