MVGM These four letters form the name of Europe's top property management organization. But what does it stand for? As we grow internationally, many relationships and customers are curious. The answer to this question provides insight into MVGM's history and growth path. Join us on this journey.
Specialization in asset management originated in the 1950s in the Netherlands. Real estate agencies expanded into insurance and, later, property management. In 1953, the multinational Unilever decided to outsource the property management of its entire real estate portfolio. Until that time they managed the properties themselves and the insurer Meeùs took over the management. The first comprehensive property was managed by a third party.
Meeùs was founded in the twenties by Joseph Meeùs, a representative of the Dutch city of Breda. He found interest in insurers because he himself had car damage caused by an accident. In 1927, he opened his own insurance agency, starting with auto and fire insurance, and shortly after opening, he expanded his offerings to include mortgages and real estate. Asset management was added to the service portfolio in 1953. Joseph Meeùs passed away at the age of 52, when Meeùs was one of the largest insurance agencies in North Brabant, a Dutch province. Joseph Meeùs' sons took over the company and sold the Meeùs Group to AEGON in 2000.
Property service providers joined forces
After Unilever's controversial decision to outsource, many Dutch insurers expanded their core business by buying property agencies. In 2002, a number of real estate service providers (including Kamerbeek Groep, Baneke Graffner, Kamminga, van Calcar, Crab Noomen, Kentron en Christaan Smit) merged into one organization: Meeùs. Originally, Meeùs had four independent business units. Three years later, these businesses have been transformed into three divisions and independent private companies focused on insurance, real estate and asset management.
First Dutch property management organization
Menno van der Horst and I (current co-owners of MVGM) were hired by Meeùs to restructure its four business units into one company with property management as its core business. Property management in the Netherlands has always been a spin-off of the core business: insurance. In order to separate property management from the insurer Meeùs, Menno and I decided to continue with the brand Meeùs VastGoed Management. In 2007 Meeùs VastGoed Management was shortened to the abbreviation MVGM.
MVGM management buy-out in 2008
A management buy-out followed in 2008, and Menno and I founded the first independent property management organization in the Netherlands with about 300 employees. We are still very proud of this.
Meeùs remained for many years one of the largest Dutch service providers in the insurance, mortgage and real estate sector. In 2017 AON bought Meeùs (Unirobe Meeùs Group) from AEGON and in 2019 the Meeùs brand was integrated into AON.
Innovation in real estate management
For years, the Netherlands did not know any organizations focused on property management besides MVGM. As operating costs increased and tenants' needs became more demanding, more and more competitors emerged in the Netherlands and abroad whose core business was property management. Nevertheless, MVGM always recognized the urge to evolve and innovate, and still anticipates the changing needs of owners and users. MVGM has the flexibility to innovate and remain a leader in the Netherlands and, since 2019, also internationally.
Continuous striving for a pleasant user experience
Property management is a profession in its own right. Even when a property is nearly perfect from a technical standpoint, tenants and users may have a less than satisfactory experience. It is up to the property manager to strive for a pleasant user experience and at the same time maintain a good technical condition of the building. This requires empathy, whether it's an office, a shopping center or a home. Since property management has been our core business for about 70 years, we are good at it. And we will continue to strive for the best for our customers, tenants, employees and other stakeholders. Thus, at our 100th anniversary, we will be the leading property manager, not only in the Netherlands, but also in the rest of Europe.