Hans de Wit Constructor of the Year 2023

Hans de Wit is the new Constructor of the Year. This was announced on June 1 during the Day of the Constructor. De Wit is managing director of Tunnel Engineering Consultants (TEC). He received the jury award from Mathew Vola (Arup), winner of the previous edition. De Wit is keen to highlight the creativity of the structural engineer in the coming year. "What I would like is that with all the tools we are developing in the digital world, we can also give our creativity a proper place. After all, a structural engineer is a creator of solutions and we need to keep that." Niki Loonen (ABT) received a special mention from the jury for his contribution in the field of sustainable structures.

De Wit has completed a wide range of leading projects, all with great social relevance. He has been Manager Director of TEC since 2009. Under his leadership, the company gained fame with the construction of the longest sea bridge in the world: the Hong Kong-Zhuhai-Macau Bridge, for which De Wit regularly traveled to China. Work on the Øresund link and the Fehmarnbelt Tunnel also bear witness to unparalleled expertise and specialist knowledge.

Internationally, they excel in their expertise in the field of immersed tunnel projects, and they do so without their own personnel. They also remain active on Dutch soil. On behalf of Rijkswaterstaat, a major renovation project of seven South Holland tunnels will start this year. Funnily enough, among other things, they are renovating their very first project in 1992: the North Tunnel.

Hans De Wit he speaks at international conferences and teaches at TU Delft and internationally. He is appreciated for his role as a team player and also called team captain by colleagues. According to the jury, this profile makes De Wit a very complete structural engineer and the undisputed winner of Constructor of the Year 2023.

The jury, chaired by Ronald Zandbergen (director at the Ingenieursbureau of the Municipality of Rotterdam), evaluated six shortlisted candidates. As always, on four criteria: collaboration, socially relevant, innovative and appealing, and professional development.

Sustainability was heavily considered for this edition because of its social relevance and the speed with which it affects the profession and the role of the structural engineer. It was precisely on that component that Niki Loonen (senior consultant at ABT) scored highest among all the judges. The jury therefore rewarded his efforts with a special mention in the 'social relevance' category.

The announcement of the Constructor of the Year took place this year, after an in-between year, again as traditionally during the Day of the Constructor. "This is how it should be: back on this beautiful day and being honored in the presence of colleagues," said Mathew Vola, who had the honor of presenting the award to Hans de Wit. Vola also gave his successor a task. He himself experienced the recognition Constructor of the Year not so much as a title, but as a role. You spend the year being an ambassador for the beautiful design profession.

Hans de Wit is the tenth Constructor of the Year. The award has been presented annually by VNconstructeurs since 2012, with the exception of 2019, and is aimed at increasing the visibility and awareness of the structural engineering profession in a positive sense. Not only aimed at the broad construction column, but also -just as relevant- aimed at the future structural engineer.

Shown in the photo from left to right:
- Robbert van Dinther, director and partner at KPE Group, sponsor of the training voucher
- Rogier Elshout, Chairman of the Day of the Constructor
- Hans de Wit, managing director at TEC, winner Constructor of the Year 2023
- Mathew Vola, director of sustainable development at Arup, jury member Constructor of the Year 2023 and winner in 2021

*View the jury report here