Edge Insider: Building a Brand at Edge with Marlène de Jong

Marlène de Jong is the Director of Marketing & Communications at Edge, where her work is less about telling people who they are and more about creating something so recognizable that it speaks for itself.

A Crossroads of Cultures

Born to a French mother and a Dutch father, Marlène grew up between cultures never quite choosing one, always navigating both. That blend of internationalism would later shape her career: a bachelor's in International Business in Rotterdam, a master’s in Marketing with a specialization in luxury branding in Milan. The story seemed to be heading toward high fashion.

But, as often happens, life unfolded a different plan.

I was biking near Valley, one of Edges most iconic projects during COVID. Every day, I passed the construction site. As the daughter of architects, I kept looking for the name of the architect... but all I saw was Edge. The logo. The name. The vibe. It made me curious.

Curious enough to visit the website. Curious enough to want to build with them. Within weeks, she was hired as PR Manager. Within two years, she was leading the entire Marketing & Communications department. Today she is the Director of Marketing & Communications at Edge.

Making Buildings Breathe

So what makes Edge's brand different?

At Edge, Marlène and her team understand that the true value of a building goes beyond its physical attributes. A building is more than just the sum of its materials or its design, it’s about the identity behind it.

We are in a B2B industry. But we treat it like B2C with our communication style. We give our buildings personality. We give them emotion. We make them human.

“We are branding our buildings today,” says Marlène. “Tenants care not only about the design or the data, but also about creating a space that people are proud to be associated with.” The next generation of successful developments will put tenant experience and community building in the forefront.”

Every building we develop has a presence, a smell, a design logic. Even if the name Edge isn’t written on the wall, you’ll know you’re in one.

Take Valley, a vertical village of striking architecture that reactivated its entire neighborhood. Or the dsm headquarters in Maastricht, one of Edges smallest project, but one of its most intimate. We were involved in everything: the interior design, materials, even how many plants should go inside.

In every case, the building becomes the message.

Leadership, Unlocked

Working closely with Edge’s founder, Coen van Oostrom, has shaped Marlene’s leadership in powerful ways.

Edge has an entrepreneurial culture. Everyone is expected to think like an owner. Theres no micromanagement. No idea is off-limits. But what stands out most wasnt just the freedom, it was the trust.

Over the years, Ive built a close working relationship with Coen. And thats been transformative. Not just for me, but for my team.

She sees herself not only as a leader, but as a translator, channeling vision from the top, and filtering it down in ways her team can use, share, and grow from.

I want them to benefit from the perspective I get. Thats part of my job.

It’s a lesson she learned by doing: translating insight into ownership.

Curiosity Is a Strategy

I came from luxury, Marlène says. Joining real estate meant learning a completely new industry. I knew how to communicate but I didnt know the language of development.

So she listened. Asked questions. Interviewed half the company. Took notes. Shadowed teams. Spent hours with Edge’s Head of Sustainability to ensure that good storytelling never crossed paths with greenwashing.

You cant brand what you dont understand. Branded real estate is not about ego or image, its about credibility, accountability, and connection.

And now, Edge is entering a new phase, moving beyond development into asset and investment management.

Its exciting. But it also means were redefining our story. That takes time. Discipline. Humility. And curiosity. If youre not willing to ask the right questions, you cant do this job well. Curiosity is what protects us from doing things by default.

Telling Stories That Make People Shine

For Marlène, branding isn’t just about campaigns or color palettes. It’s about people.

When we tell stories as a team, we highlight our colleagues biggest sources of pride, whether its a building they led or a personal milestone. We let them shine.

And in that act of shining a light on others, the brand becomes more than a company. It becomes a culture.

Marlène believes the future of real estate is rooted in trust and purpose. At Edge, brand is not what you say, it’s what you consistently do. Creating spaces that are not only sustainable and efficient, but deeply human. And in the end, that’s the most powerful kind of marketing there is.