Aart Jan de Geus

Aart Jan de Geus
Aart Jan de Geus (2012)
Born (1955-07-28) July 28, 1955
Doorn, Utrecht, Netherlands
Nationality Netherlands
Alma mater
Occupation Chairman and CEO of the Bertelsmann Stiftung

Aart Jan de Geus (born July 28, 1955 in Doorn, Netherlands) is chairman and chief executive officer of the Bertelsmann Stiftung.[1] He is responsible for projects relating to Europe, democracy and sustainable economies as well as international megatrends and partnerships.[2] He previously served as the deputy secretary-general of the Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD).[3] From 2002 to 2007, he served under Prime Minister Jan Peter Balkenende in the Netherlands as minister of social affairs and employment.[4] He is a member of the Christian Democratic Appeal (CDA) party.[5]

Education

De Geus began studying law at the Utrecht University while also training as a bookkeeper. He ended his training after two years in order to concentrate exclusively on his studies. He later transferred to Erasmus University Rotterdam, where the law program had a more practical orientation.[5] After receiving his Master of Laws in 1980, he did post-graduate studies in labor law at Radboud University Nijmegen.[3]

Career

In 1980, de Geus became a lawyer for the industrial trade union of the Christelijk Nationaal Vakverbond (CNV).[6] In subsequent years he rose through the organization, eventually joining the board of directors.[5] In 1988, he joined the umbrella organization of the CNV confederation and was appointed its deputy chairman in 1993. His responsibilities in this position included social security, pensions, health and employment.[3] He was also a member of the Socioeconomic Advisory Council, the Dutch government’s highest body for economic and social policy issues, one that is anchored in the constitution and whose members are appointed by the crown.[7][8]

In 1998, De Geus became a partner at the corporate consultancy Boer & Croon in Amsterdam.[9] There he worked on projects relating to the welfare state for both public and private institutions.[7] He also joined the supervisory board of the Academic Hospital of Maastricht, the advisory council of the Association of Dutch Health Insurers, and the Council of Churches where he was responsible for social policy issues. He was also a member of the National Refugees Council.[7]

Public Office

In the mid-1970s, De Geus joined the youth organization of the Dutch ARP (Anti-Revolutionary Party), a predecessor of the CDA. Through the years he held various positions in both parties.[5] In 2002, Jan Peter Balkenende appointed de Geus as minister of social affairs and employment (first Balkenende cabinet). He also served as health minister for eight months.[10][11] He was a member of the Dutch government until 2007 (second and third Balkenende cabinets).[12][13]

While in office, de Geus initiated comprehensive social policy reforms with the goal of making the country’s social security system more sustainable and including more people in the labor market.[14][15] For example, he restructured the public- and private-sector job referral systems. He also included local-level governments in the funding structure for social assistance programs.[3] He was considered a supporter of the country’s polder model, an approach that brings together employers, trade unions and government experts to negotiate wages and working conditions.[16] Despite his earlier activities for the CNV trade union confederation, his relationship with the country’s trade unions proved difficult.[5][17] In 2004, he withstood a vote of no confidence brought by the opposition Social Democratic, Socialist and Green parties.[18][19]

In 2007, de Geus was appointed deputy secretary-general of the OECD.[20][21] In this role he advanced a number of causes including environmentally friendly economic growth. He also criticized the division present in the German job market, above all since it allowed young and well-trained workers to benefit to a greater degree from the country’s economic upturn.[22][23]

Bertelsmann Stiftung

In 2011, the Bertelsmann Stiftung appointed de Geus to its executive board.[24][25] In 2012, he became the board’s chairman when Gunter Thielen retired.[26] The Bertelsmann Stiftung thus increased its independence from the Mohn family, owners of the Bertelsmann group.[27][28] As chairman, de Geus launched the initiative to internationalize the foundation’s activities.[29][30] Today, de Geus is responsible for projects relating to Europe, democracy and sustainable economies as well as international megatrends and partnerships.[2]

Other functions

Since 2012 De Geus has been a member of the advisory board of the Centre for Higher Education (CHE), in which the Bertelsmann Stiftung holds a 90-percent stake.[31][32] In 2014, he was elected chairman of the supervisory board of the Netherlands-based Triodos Bank,[33][34] a leading sustainability bank with offices in Belgium, Germany, the UK and Spain.[35]

Publications

  • Aart De Geus; Eric Thode; Christiane Weidenfeld (2016). Europe Reforms Labour Market – Leaders’ Perspectives. Berlin: Walter de Gruyter. ISBN 978-3-11-036577-1.

References

  1. ↑ "Niederländer an Spitze der Bertelsmann-Stiftung". Rheinische Post (in German). August 7, 2012.
  2. 1 2 "Aart De Geus, Vorstandsvorsitzender". Bertelsmann Stiftung. Retrieved July 30, 2017.
  3. 1 2 3 4 "Aart Jan de Geus". Internationales Biographisches Archiv (in German). Munzinger. October 30, 2012. Retrieved July 30, 2017.
  4. ↑ "Aart Jan De Geus". Parlement & Politiek (in Dutch). Retrieved July 30, 2017.
  5. 1 2 3 4 5 Angelika Fliegner (May 2012). "Aart Jan de Geus". NiederlandeNet (in German). University of Münster. Retrieved July 30, 2017.
  6. ↑ Gijs Herdersche (September 2, 2002). "Nooit de hete adem van leden in de nek". de Volkskrant (in Dutch). Retrieved July 30, 2017.
  7. 1 2 3 "Biografie: Aart Jan de Geus" (in Dutch). NTR. May 19, 2003. Retrieved July 30, 2017.
  8. ↑ Brücken bauen – 30 Jahre niederländische Integrationspolitik im Rückblick. Eine Untersuchung durch einen niederländischen Parlamentsausschuss. (PDF), Landeszentrum für Zuwanderung Nordrhein-Westfalen, p. 35, retrieved July 30, 2017
  9. ↑ Mark Houben (July 25, 2002). "Consultants trots op hun minister". NRC Handelsblad (in Dutch). Retrieved July 30, 2017.
  10. ↑ René Vautravers (July 23, 2002). "Die Mitglieder des neuen Kabinetts". Neue Zürcher Zeitung (in German). p. 1.
  11. ↑ "Kabinet-Balkenende I (2002-2003)". Parlement & Politiek (in Dutch). Retrieved July 30, 2017.
  12. ↑ "Kabinet-Balkenende II (2003-2006)". Parlement & Politiek (in Dutch). Retrieved July 30, 2017.
  13. ↑ "Kabinet-Balkenende III (2006-2007)". Parlement & Politiek (in Dutch). Retrieved July 30, 2017.
  14. ↑ René Vautravers (September 10, 2003). "Harte Massnahmen in der Sozialpolitik: Haager Regierung schlachtet heilige Kühe". Neue Zürcher Zeitung (in German). p. 23.
  15. ↑ Helmut Hetzel (October 17, 2003). "Niederlande: Ein Bündnis gegen die Wirtschaftskrise". Die Presse (in German). p. 5.
  16. ↑ René Vautravers (October 16, 2003). "Zurück zum niederländischen Polder-Modell: Historische Übereinkunft zwischen den Sozialpartnern". Neue Zürcher Zeitung (in German). p. 21.
  17. ↑ "Laatste waarschuwing voor De Geus". de Volkskrant (in Dutch). February 19, 2004. Retrieved June 30, 2017.
  18. ↑ "Oppositie zegt vertrouwen in De Geus op". NRC Handelsblad (in Dutch). October 15, 2004. Retrieved July 30, 2017.
  19. ↑ Onze Verslaggevers (October 15, 2004). "De Geus onder vuur oppositie coalitie". de Volkskrant (in Dutch). Retrieved July 30, 2017.
  20. ↑ "OECD Annual Report 2007" (PDF). p. 121. Retrieved July 30, 2017.
  21. ↑ "Aart de Geus, Deputy Secretary General, OECD Secretariat". Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development. Retrieved July 30, 2017.
  22. ↑ "Wir bestehlen unsere Kinder". Salzburger Nachrichten (in German). August 17, 2009. p. 2.
  23. ↑ Philip Faigle (December 15, 2010). "Vollbeschäftigung in Deutschland ist möglich". Zeit Online (in German). Retrieved July 30, 2017.
  24. ↑ "Bertelsmann Stiftung beruft neuen Vorstand". Handelsblatt (in German). June 29, 2011. p. 62.
  25. ↑ "Niederländer zu Bertelsmann". Westfalen-Blatt (in German). June 29, 2011.
  26. ↑ "Niederländer führt Bertelsmann-Stiftung an". Handelsblatt (in German). April 27, 2012. Retrieved July 30, 2017.
  27. ↑ "Nicht noch ne Mohn: Neue Führung für Bertelsmann-Stiftung". Die TageszeitungDie Presse (in German). April 27, 2012. Retrieved July 30, 2017.
  28. ↑ Johannes Ritter (April 27, 2012). "Wir sind nicht die Speerspitze für die Bertelsmann AG". Frankfurter Allgemeine Zeitung (in German). Retrieved July 30, 2017.
  29. ↑ Bernhard Hänel (April 28, 2012). "Von Gütersloh in die weite Welt: Früherer holländischer Arbeitsminister De Geus führt Bertelsmann-Stiftung auf internationales Parkett". Neue Westfälische (in German).
  30. ↑ "Führungswechsel unter den Augen des Stifters". Neue Westfälische (in German). May 25, 2012.
  31. ↑ "Advisory Board". Centre for Higher Education. Retrieved August 3, 2017.
  32. ↑ "Unternehmensregister (Amtsgericht Gütersloh, HRB 3122)" (in German). Bundesanzeiger Verlag. Retrieved August 3, 2017.
  33. ↑ "Oud-minister Aart Jan de Geus aan de slag bij Triodos Bank". Business Insider (in Dutch). May 1, 2014. Retrieved August 3, 2017.
  34. ↑ "Oud-minister De Geus naar Triodos Bank". De Telegraaf (in Dutch). May 1, 2014. Retrieved August 3, 2017.
  35. ↑ Martin Hampel (March 3, 2012). "Nachhaltigkeitsbanken legen zu". Börsen-Zeitung (in German). p. 5.
  • Vita on the Bertelsmann Stiftung official website
Preceded by
Willem Vermeend		 Minister of Social Affairs and Employment of the Netherlands
2002–2007		 Succeeded by
Piet Hein Donner
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