NIMD’s Supervisory Council welcomes Sven Koopmans as new Chair

NIMD is very pleased to welcome Sven Koopmans as the new Chair of our Supervisory Council. He will take over from Ed Kronenburg, who has stepped down in June of this year.

The Supervisory Council is made up of independent professionals, responsible for overseeing NIMD’s activities. Their selection is based on a profile system that ensures a balanced mix of experience, and specific managerial and policy skills.

Sven Koopmans

Sven’s career spans politics, diplomacy, international law, and academia.

From 2003 to 2016, he served in key roles with the European Union, United Nations, and other international organizations, contributing to peace efforts including in Cyprus, Kosovo, Mali, Sudan, and Syria. Between 2017 and 2021 he was a Member of Parliament in the Netherlands, where he was the spokesperson on Foreign Affairs for the VVD Party. Earlier in his career, he practiced international law as a barrister.

As a former Member of Parliament in the Netherlands and senior diplomat, he was appointed by the EU as Special Representative for the Middle East Peace Process in both 2021 and 2023. Sven is also an accomplished scholar. He holds degrees from various Universities, including Oxford, and is the author of several publications on diplomacy and conflict resolution, including Negotiating Peace: A Guide to the Practice, Politics, and Law of International Mediation. In recognition of his contributions, he was named a chevalier of the Légion d’honneur by the President of France.

Standing up for Democracy

Sven is looking forward to his new role. “It is a great honour to assume the role of Chair of the Supervisory Board of NIMD, succeeding my distinguished predecessor, Ed Kronenburg. At a time of profound global challenges, NIMD plays a vital role in promoting peaceful, just, and inclusive democracies across the world.

With a committed, knowledgeable, and energetic Supervisory Council, I look forward to supporting Tijmen Rooseboom, the Executive Director, and the dedicated staff – both in The Hague and across our many Country Offices. In an era marked by instability and division, it is essential to stand together and strengthen democratic governance at home and abroad.

I see a strong organization, anchored by an excellent team, well-prepared to start the next leg of its 25-year journey.”

Thanking our outgoing Chair

This is also a time to say goodbye to the former Chair of the Supervisory Council, Ed Kronenburg, who has been involved in NIMD’s since 2020.

With a career spanning almost 45 years as senior diplomat, NIMD benefited greatly from his deep expertise in foreign affairs. NIMD’s staff and Supervisory Council would like to express their deep gratitude to Ed and wish him all the best in his future endeavours.