Always keep the overview.

Within Layers, Ties Wiarda watches over the budgets and plannings like a hawk. Whoever exceeds a budget or does not meet a planning had better have a good story. And stand firmly in his shoes. This 31-year-old project controller is namely a fearless hockey goalkeeper and a not undeserving boxer….

Like a strict minister of finance, Ties takes all ongoing projects under the microscope. From the moment of acquisition until completion he keeps a sharp eye on making the costs transparent and keeping them transparent. With always one sacred goal in mind; “To be able to offer each project at the best possible price.”

‘Predictability’ is for Ties a key concept in this. “My main task is to have the costs clear in every stage, so that we do not face surprises.” Besides being able to calculate well, you also mainly have to communicate well. Weekly, Ties therefore sits at the table with his colleagues from acquisition, from sales, from marketing and with the developers.

What makes the matter exciting is that Today/Layers draws its strength from being able to switch quickly, while Ties would sometimes actually like to have a bit more time to map out all the data and costs to two decimals behind the comma and thus keep things clear. Whether that is sometimes difficult for Ties? “It makes my work challenging,” is his diplomatic answer.

Drawing up budgets and collecting data has by now been standardized at Layers. “We work with one fixed format, and that makes it very clear.” Now paper is patient, and practice is often more stubborn. So yes, from time to time matters appear that will require more money or more time. Such deviations quickly come to the surface in the weekly meeting. “Unexpected surprises are rarely the case. Questions are asked, explanations follow and we ‘challenge’ each other to arrive at a solution.”

An additional task for the controller is that he helps the organization to professionalize even further. How? “By further optimizing all processes so that we can all work even more efficiently together.”

To the question of when Ties goes home with a good feeling, a surprising reaction follows. “Go home? I always find it pleasant to be at the office! Apart from my work, I like having nice contact with my colleagues. Having a coffee together, or preparing a nice lunch for them!”

The latter is well entrusted to Ties because he has been cooking from a young age — he also ‘in between’ attended the Hotel School. In addition, wine is also a passion of his. “Not only drinking, but also delving into wines I find fascinating. Besides sports, because I also enjoy that. I play padel and golf and guard the goal on the hockey field twice a week. And yes, since recently I have indeed also started boxing.”

Ties Wiarda
Project Controller