Magdalena Kujawa, high flyer

There’s no time like the present to shake up stereotypes. In Poland, Magdalena Kujawa, technical manager, has risen through the ranks of technical facility management – a traditionally male industry that is fast changing.

Magdalena grew up blissfully unaware of gender stereotypes. “DIY has always been my thing,” she says, remembering keenly watching her dad doing repairs at home. For a teenager with electrician parents and a grandfather in the construction trade, technical university seemed a natural move. After graduation and eight years in a technical coordinator role, Magdalena joined SPIE Deutschland & Zentraleuropa in Poland as a technical specialist. Her talents were quickly noticed and she became a technical facility manager, overseeing a logistics park with more than 200 square metres of warehouse space.

“SPIE saw my potential without looking through the prism of gender,” she says, grateful to her supervisors for their support. “Here, the number of women in technical and operational positions is impressive. I can spread my wings without any obstacles.” And she is already flying high. In August, Magdalena was a runner up in the Polish Top Woman in Real Estate awards and the winner of the online vote in the Facility Management category. Organised by an independent council, the award recognises successful women and the companies supporting them. As Magdalena says, “It’s an interesting signpost for the industry and a great honour for me.”