Kajsa Ollongren (NL)

Kajsa Ollongren studied History at the University of Amsterdam. After finishing her university studies in 1991 she successfully applied for a post doc scholarship at the Netherlands Institute for International Relations Clingendael in The Hague. In 2006 Kajsa Ollongren was a candidate in the Dutch Parliamentary elections, representing D66, the social-liberal party. Her party appointed her as first deputy mayor and alderman in Amsterdam after winning the municipal elections in 2014. During her time at the ministry of Economic Affairs she was closely involved in European cooperation. She attended numerous European Councils as the economic advisor to several Dutch prime ministers. As (deputy) Secretary-General she served two prime ministers, mr Jan Peter Balkenende and mr Mark Rutte. She assisted mr Balkenende during the financial crisis of 2008 when the Netherlands government had to step in to save the ABN Amro bank (then part of the Belgian Fortis bank). During the formation of mr Rutte’s first cabinet (in 2010) she was on the formation staff. She worked closely with the Mayor of Amsterdam in preparing the inauguration of King Willem Alexander in 2013, and in preparing the state visit of US President Barack Obama to the Netherlands in 2014. Kajsa Ollongren lives in Amsterdam. She is married to Irene van den Brekel and has two children.