Hans de Groene new Director General NWO
1 March 2011
The Governing Board of the Netherlands Organisation for Scientific Research (NWO) has appointed J.H. (Hans) de Groene as Director General of NWO with effect from 1 May 2011. He will succeed Dr Cees de Visser, who will retire in May. NWO chair Prof. Jos Engelen: ‘Hans de Groene is a manager with considerable experience in the public sector. He will serve the interest of the entire spectrum of scientific research for Dutch society with considerable fervour.’
Hans de Groene (1960) studied economics at Erasmus University in Rotterdam. In 1985 he started his career at the Ministry of Economic Affairs where he occupied various policy and management positions within the Directorate of General Economic Politics. In 1993 he became the deputy director and in 1997 director of the Spatial Economic Policy directorate. In 2001 he became director and deputy director general for the area of innovation policy. Since 2004 he has been Director of Innovation and Deputy Director General for Entrepreneurship and Innovation (since October 2010 within the newly formed Ministry of Economic Affairs, Agriculture and Innovation - EL&I).
De Groene has been closely involved in the major changes to innovation policy over the past few years. He has an extensive network in The Hague, the world of knowledge, industry and within Europe. His approach and style are characterised as decisive and focussed on cooperation. Hans de Groene: ‘Over the past few years I have worked intensively with NWO and have come to know the organisation as a particularly fascinating body that is extremely professional. NWO has an important role to play in further strengthening the Netherlands’ position as a knowledge economy. I am really looking forward to making a contribution to this.’
From within his position at EL&I, Hans de Groene has worked together with NWO on projects such as the funding of Technology Foundation STW and the realisation of the Knowledge Workers Regulation. He has contributed to the renewal of NL Agency’s contracting role and was active in the interdepartmental policy development on knowledge and innovation. For example, he was the chair of interdepartmental committees for the distribution of the FES funds for knowledge and innovation, for space research and development, and for nanotechnology. He was also head of the Dutch delegation to the Board of the European Space Agency ESA and was responsible for the preparations of the Dutch contribution to the European research and innovation policy.
About NWO
The Netherlands Organisation for Scientific Research (NWO) is the independent Dutch science funding body and its mission is to facilitate excellent scientific research in the Netherlands by means of national competition. Each year NWO spends more than 700 million euros on grants for top researchers, on innovative instruments and equipment, and on institutes where top research is performed. NWO funds the research of more than 5300 talented researchers at universities and other research institutes. Independent experts select the best researchers and the best research by means of a peer review system. NWO facilitates valorisation and the transfer of knowledge to society. NWO has an independent position decreed by Dutch law. The Governing Board, which apart form the chair Jos Engelen has four other members drawn from the world of science, appoints the director general.
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More information:
- NWO, Information & Communication Department
- t.: +31 (0)70 344 07 13, voorlichting@nwo.nl
