APCOA, Europe’s largest parking operator, has appointed Joerg Ulrich as Chief Growth Officer, signalling a strategic shift toward expanding digital infrastructure and unlocking new income streams across its portfolio. Based in Stuttgart, Ulrich will now lead growth initiatives across APCOA’s 1.8 million managed parking spaces and 13,000 locations in 12 countries.
Ulrich, who joined the company in 2014, was most recently Group Director of Strategic Sales and Alliances. He succeeds Frank van der Sant, who departed in May after a pivotal nine-year tenure. The promotion reflects APCOA’s ambition to expand beyond traditional parking operations by transforming its assets into multi-functional urban hubs equipped for EV charging, logistics and smart city services.
“Joerg’s deep understanding of our business, his strong and unique real estate network in Europe combined with a strong track record of delivering results, makes him ideally suited for this important role,” said Nicola Veratelli, CEO of APCOA. “We all wish Frank van der Sant the very best for his personal and professional future. He has been truly instrumental and decisive in revitalising and driving the company’s growth trajectory over the last nine years.”
“In my new position, I will work with our teams to realise APCOA's numerous market opportunities,” added Joerg Ulrich. “More specifically, we will expand value-added services and digital infrastructures at parking locations to meet the evolving needs of customers, all kind of investors and property owners, municipalities and mobility providers.”
For investors and developers, this appointment signals a shift in focus towards revenue diversification and platform-based services. APCOA’s digital strategy, through APCOA FLOW, enables monetisation of underutilised real estate through data-driven mobility, logistics and proximity-based services, creating new income channels for asset owners and municipalities alike.
The company continues to operate on an “asset light” model, offering scalability while prioritising carbon reduction, intelligent traffic management, and integration into smart city ecosystems. Its long-term growth hinges not only on the number of parking spaces but also on transforming them into adaptable, tech-driven infrastructure nodes for modern urban life.
People mentioned:
Joerg Ulrich – Chief Growth Officer, APCOA
Nicola Veratelli – Chief Executive Officer, APCOA
Frank van der Sant – Former Chief Growth Officer, APCOA
Companies mentioned:
APCOA – Europe’s leading parking and urban mobility operator
Get the latest commercial real estate news, investment insights, and property trends from Europe Real Estate, trusted by professionals since 1999.
Sign up for free daily or weekly updates. Join here
