Ad Veenhof new chair for Maastricht University Supervisory Council

Ad Veenhof has taken over the reigns of the Maastricht University Supervisory Council from Peter Elverding. Minister Plasterk announced the appointment this week, with retroactive effect from 1 January 2010. Veenhof, chair of the Executive Board of Royal Wessanen NV until recently, has already been a member of the UM Supervisory Council since 2006.

Veenhof (1947) studied economics at Nyenrode University and the University of Groningen, then started his career at Philips in 1971. There he held various management positions before joining Royal Philips Electronics NV and becoming CEO of Philips Domestic Appliances and Personal Care. From 2003 until March 2009, Veenhof has chaired the Executive Board of Royal Wessanen NV, a multinational in the field of nutrition.

The Supervisory Council oversees Executive Board policy and everyday affairs within the university. Along with this supervisory task, it plays an important role as sounding board for and adviser to the Executive Board. The council is accountable to the Ministry of Education, Culture and Science and, after this latest appointment, is now composed of the following members: Ad Veenhof (chair), Truze Lodder (annual appraisals and remuneration executive board portfolio), Dick Sluimers (finance and auditing portfolio) and Ursula Nelles (University Council portfolio).

Peter Elverding had been a member of the Supervisory Council since 1997 and its chair since 2005. At his farewell reception on 15 December 2009, he was presented with the Tanspenning award. The Tanspenning was named after Maastricht University's founder, and is only granted in cases of exceptional merit. During his term of office, Elverding gave his full support to the development of the university. It is partly thanks to him that UM has experienced enormous growth over the last few years, without detriment to the quality of its education, research and student services.

Source: maastrichtuniversity.nl