Kajsa Ollongren

Minister, Netherlands Ministry of Defence

Personal details
Born on 28 May 1967 in Leiden, married, 2 children

Education

1985: History, University of Amsterdam
1991: Course in International Relations, Netherlands Institute of International Relations ‘Clingendael’, The Hague
1991: École Nationale d’Administration, Parijs

Career

1992: Various positions at the Ministry of Economic Affairs
2001: Director of the European Integration and Strategy Department at the Ministry of Economic Affairs
2005: Deputy Director-General for Economic Policy at the Ministry of Economic Affairs
2007: Deputy Secretary-General at the Ministry of General Affairs
2011: Secretary-General at the Ministry of General Affairs
2014: Deputy mayor of Amsterdam and member of the municipal executive for D66 with responsibility for economic affairs,
Schiphol airport, the Port of Amsterdam, historic buildings and monuments, culture and the arts, local media, municipal
shareholdings and the city centre
26 October 2017 – 10 January 2022: Minister of the Interior and Kingdom Relations in the third Rutte government
10 January 2022: Appointed Minister of Defence in the fourth Rutte government

Party political positions and outside activities

Candidate for D66 in the 2006 parliamentary elections
Before 2017 member of the advisory board of the international bachelor programme in Philosophy, Politics and Economics at VU Amsterdam
Before 2017 member of the advisory board of the Confederation of Netherlands Industry and Employers (VNO-NCW)
Before 2017 member of the advisory board of the Marker Wadden Nature restoration project carried out by the Dutch Society for Nature Conservation and Rijkswaterstaat
Before 2017 board member of the Els Borst Network which support and empowers women