Shereen Shabnam
As CEO of SIMACEK Holding, Ursula Simacek has guided the company to become a leader in facility management throughout Europe. From its humble beginnings as a pest control service to becoming a major family-owned enterprise, Ursula’s strategic vision has been pivotal.
In this interview, Ursula discusses the transformative growth strategies of SIMACEK, the company’s robust commitment to sustainability, and her experiences as a female leader in a traditionally male-dominated industry, providing valuable insights into the future of facility management and entrepreneurial leadership.
SIMACEK HAS ESTABLISHED ITSELF AS A LEADING FORCE IN FACILITY MANAGEMENT ACROSS EUROPE. WHAT KEY STRATEGIES HAVE DRIVEN THE COMPANY’S GROWTH AND HOW DO YOU ENVISION ITS FUTURE?
We have grown from a small pest control business into one of Mid- and Central-Eastern Europe’s largest family-owned facility service providers, with 11,000 employees across six countries. Our growth is built on long-term thinking, a strong people-first culture, and service diversification.
We focus on core facility management (cleaning, security, technical facility management, pest control, public transport cleaning) and go beyond that with premium care services, including office services for a true well-being atmosphere, rental arts and healthy catering for all property users. With digital innovation and a clear sustainability focus, we aim to expand further, always guided by our purpose “Joyfully creating quality of life for people”.
WHAT STEPS IS SIMACEK TAKING TO PROMOTE SUSTAINABILITY AND RESPONSIBLE BUSINESS PRACTICES?
A comprehensive understanding of sustainability is part of our DNA from the early days more than 80 years ago. Our responsibility for 11,000 employees from 70 nations and their families demands a three-dimensional approach to sustainability.
First, economic sustainability and intergenerational long-term thinking to ensure stable and reliable jobs. Second, ecological responsibility to protect a healthy environment. Third, social responsibility to ensure fair and equal pay, respectful behavior, and to support personal development and growth.
All measures directly support the UN Sustainable Development Goals (SDG). They are deeply integrated in our corporate strategy, including significantly cutting down Co2 emissions already by 2030, a >95% share of renewable electricity, a fully electrified fleet by 2028, consequent use of ecologically certified cleaning agents and many more.
Additionally, we measure the success of these actions by all relevant ISO certifications and international certifications such as EvoVadis and Great Place to Work, proving that we belong to the best-in-class services providers of our industry.
HOW DOES SIMACEK ENSURE EMPLOYEE SATISFACTION, TRAINING, AND WELL-BEING WHILE MAINTAINING HIGH SERVICE STANDARDS?
Our employees are the heartbeat of SIMACEK – and we like to call ourselves a “large SIMACEK family”. We run a dedicated ISO 21001-certified SIMACEK Academy, providing more than 10,000 training hours annually only in Austria. But our training efforts go far beyond that, including leadership development, on-site language training – often in courses combining our and our customer’s employees –, and support in hardship cases to ensure a team which is both competent and motivated to deal with the challenges we are facing day by day.
Our key to service quality is definitely strong leadership and a truly diverse team. Personal leadership is combined with powerful digital tools to ensure a consistent and comprehensive quality levels.
HOW IS SIMACEK LEVERAGING DIGITAL TRANSFORMATION TO ENHANCE EFFICIENCY WITH SMART BUILDINGS AND AI-DRIVEN FACILITY MANAGEMENT?
We follow a strict multi-annual digitalization roadmap focusing on digitalization and AI-powered processes in every business unit as well as highest levels cyber security for top-notch service reliability. We strive to be the most consistent adopter of new technologies, while at the same time ensuring value and cost efficiency for our customers.
With a strong inhouse IT development team, continuous testing and piloting activities, both in-house and with customers, we build end-to-end solutions that prove themselves in practice.
WHAT ADVICE WOULD YOU GIVE TO ASPIRING FEMALE ENTREPRENEURS LOOKING TO LEAD IN TRADITIONALLY MALE-DOMINATED INDUSTRIES?
Start early, work hard, stay authentic. And: don’t hold yourself back thinking about being female or male – simply do your best and perform. That’s at least what I have done throughout my life.
I have grown through every level of our businesses — from master examinations, back-office tasks to regional management positions and now as CEO of the SIMACEK group. Leadership, to me, means inspiring people for a common goal, taking decisions, empowering others and standing for your values. Achieving goals at the expense of your purpose won’t lead to long-term success.
WHAT ARE SOME OF THE BIGGEST CHALLENGES FACING THE FACILITY MANAGEMENT SECTOR TODAY, AND IS SIMACEK PLANNING FOR EXPANSION INTO NEW MARKETS?
Attracting and retaining skilled staff remains a significant challenge in the facility management sector, an issue SIMACEK addresses with strong employer branding and structured onboarding, particularly for its predominantly migrant workforce. Our strong brand, SIMACEK, and the vast experience of more than 80 years in different markets are key assets in this regard.
The company is also keen on leveraging AI and robotics to enhance service delivery amidst growing demands for integrated solutions driven by ESG regulations. SIMACEK is eyeing expansion into dynamic markets like Dubai and the UAE, aiming to merge its high service standards with the high expectations of Middle Eastern real estate markets.
We see a good fit and high potential in combining high quality expectations of mid-east real estate operators with our proven track record in managing thousands of employees at highest levels to achieve a winning user experience for tenants and property users for all asset classes, whether residential real estate, shopping centers, offices, hospitals, or even transportation systems.
SIMACEK IS ALSO ACTIVE IN THE ART SECTOR. CAN YOU TELL US ABOUT THAT?
Yes, SIMACEK is active in the art sector through Art House SIMACEK, offering curated rental art as a B2B service. In partnership with ARTCARE, we provide businesses with access to contemporary artworks for offices, meeting spaces, and public areas. Our SIMACEK Art Award promotes carefully curated emerging artists at the start of their careers and offers an accessible entry point for aspiring collectors.
At its core, our mission is to bring art into and onto buildings — making it visible, tangible, and accessible to everyone. Through outstanding collaborations with Professors of leading art academies in Austria and Germany, we support emerging talents and connect business with culture.
This initiative brings our purpose to life, joyfully creating quality of life. For companies with high standards, integrating art into the workspace is no longer optional — it is a statement.
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