Philipp Feige always knew he wanted to work in the real estate industry, and his career start in 2007 brought him straight into the realm of logistics real estate. His work for Prologis began in February 2012, initially in the investment services division, which was newly established at the time, and now in capital deployment. Today, he can hardly imagine working in any other field: “I have experienced and helped shape how logistics real estate in Germany has grown from what was often considered a boring niche to the star of the asset classes,” he explains. “I've always thought this sector was great, even though we were often called the ‘rubber boot crowd’ in the past. We connect with real-world values. The industry is characterized by down-to-earth and likeable players.”

As vice president, head of capital deployment, Feige is responsible for the growth and activities of new business in Germany, which include, among other things, land acquisition and project development, the purchase of existing buildings, as well as occasional sales. He also helps expand Prologis’ network and frequently attends trade shows and conventions, giving presentations and participating in panels. “There is no such thing as a typical day for me. This job is not for someone who needs to know on Monday what their Friday is going to look like,” he explains. “I travel a lot and meet with colleagues, business partners or community representatives. Together, we try to come up with solutions that benefit everyone and lead to long-term, trusting partnerships.”

The customer comes first
For Feige and the capital deployment team, the customer is always at the heart of everything. He considers it his responsibility to identify and solve customers’ problems. “The most important factor for any company is its existing customers. We have to know them very well in order to give them profound advice with the aim of creating a lasting partnership,” he says. “In the end, we are committed to the customer. They are the ones who pay our salaries.”

Contact with the communities in which Prologis wants to develop real estate, or is already active, is also important. “The logistics real estate industry does not have a good reputation—and wrongly so,” he explains. “Most of the time, we tend to be turned away at first. Then our job is to convince, build trust and prove to cities that we are partners in achieving the same goals.”

Growing with the tasks
The key to success is the ability to evolve because Prologis is constantly reinventing itself: “At least every two years, I had completely different roles in terms of content with totally new challenges and perspectives,” Feige says. “I have been involved in both very small and huge projects—and they have all been interesting in their own way. The best part of my job is seeing younger or newer colleagues grow with their projects.”

So what qualities does it take to be successful in sales? “A good salesperson recognizes an opportunity, holds on to it and follows it all the way through,” he says. In addition, you should be empathetic, approachable and decisive. “We welcome people who fit well into the team on a personal level and who enjoy their work. Everything else is a matter of learning.”

On top of it all, Feige appreciates the strong team spirit at Prologis. After a personal stroke of ill fate in his family, he was able to rely on his colleagues fully: “All I had to do was make a call, and my colleagues immediately took care of everything,” he recalls. “I had never experienced anything like this before. I knew beforehand that I had a great team around me, but this solidarity in action confirmed that once again and truly impressed me.”