Herman Wijffels
Herman Wijffels | |
|---|---|
| Born | March 13, 1942 Netherlands |
| Occupation(s) | Politician, businessman |
| Years active | 1981–2008 |
| Known for | Chairman of Rabobank, Chairperson of Social-Economic Council, Dutch World Bank representative, informateur in 2006-2007 cabinet formation |
H.H.F. "Herman" Wijffels (born 13 March 1942) is a former Dutch politician affiliated with the Christian Democratic Appeal (CDA) and an experienced businessman.
His career at Rabobank spanned from 1981 until 1999, culminating in his role as chairman of the board. From 15 March 1999 to 1 April 2006, he led the Social-Economic Council (Sociaal-Economische Raad, SER) as its chairperson. Wijffels represented the Netherlands at the World Bank from 2006 to 2008, following Ad Melkert in this position. During the cabinet formation of 2006-2007, informateur Rein Jan Hoekstra put forward Wijffels as a suitable candidate to facilitate discussions among the CDA, PvdA, and ChristianUnion. Subsequently, on 22 December 2006, Queen Beatrix appointed him to succeed Hoekstra as informateur. He has earned the reputation of being "the best prime minister the Netherlands never had."
After concluding his tenure at the SER, Wijffels has been active in promoting various initiatives that emphasize his ability to connect conventional and alternative sectors. This dimension of his work is detailed in Jan Smit’s biography. Upon leaving the SER, he organized gatherings that brought together diverse personalities such as Prof Ervin Laszlo, Dr Don Beck, and Peter Merry. Additionally, he led a significant Dutch societal change event known as Klaar om te Wenden ("Ready About!").
Decorations
| Honours | ||||
| Ribbon bar | Honour | Country | Date | Comment |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Knight of the Order of the Netherlands Lion | Netherlands | 30 April 1991 | ||
| Commander of the Order of Orange-Nassau | Netherlands | 30 April 1995 | ||
Honorary degrees
| Honorary degrees | ||||
| University | Field | Country | Date | Comment |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Tilburg University | Economics | Netherlands | 25 November 1998 | |
| Open University | Economics | Netherlands | 13 December 2002 | |
External links
- Official
- Dr. H.H.F. (Herman) Wijffels Parlement & Politiek