Yvonne Catharina Maria van Rooy (born June 4, 1951) is a Dutch politician, economist, and academic administrator. A prominent member of the Christian Democratic Appeal (CDA) party, she held various influential positions in Dutch politics and higher education, including State Secretary for Economic Affairs and president of two major Dutch educational institutions.
Early life and education
Born in Eindhoven, Netherlands, Yvonne van Rooy pursued her higher education at Tilburg University (then Catholic University Brabant), where she studied economics. She graduated in 1975, specializing in monetary economics and econometrics. Following her studies, she worked as a scientific assistant and lecturer at the university until 1982.Political career
Van Rooy's political career began with her involvement in the Christian Democratic Appeal (CDA) party.- Member of the House of Representatives: She first served as a Member of the House of Representatives (Tweede Kamer) from 1986 to 1989.
- State Secretary for Economic Affairs: From 1986 to 1989, during the Lubbers II cabinet, she held the position of State Secretary for Economic Affairs, focusing on foreign trade and regional policy.
- Member of the European Parliament: Between 1989 and 1993, Van Rooy was a Member of the European Parliament, where she was active in committees related to economic and monetary affairs.
- Return to the House of Representatives: She briefly returned to the Dutch House of Representatives from 1993 to 1994 before transitioning to a career in academia.
Academic and managerial career
After her political career, Van Rooy dedicated herself to leadership roles in higher education and other organizations.- President of Tilburg University: From 1995 to 2004, she served as the President of the Executive Board of Tilburg University, her alma mater. During her tenure, she oversaw significant reforms and expansions.
- President of the Association of Universities in the Netherlands (VSNU): From 1999 to 2004, she also chaired the VSNU, the national association representing all Dutch universities, advocating for higher education interests.
- President of the Hogeschool van Amsterdam: From 2004 to 2010, Van Rooy was the President of the Executive Board of the Hogeschool van Amsterdam (Amsterdam University of Applied Sciences), one of the largest universities of applied sciences in the Netherlands.
- Supervisory and Advisory Roles: Throughout her career and particularly after 2010, Van Rooy has held numerous supervisory and advisory positions in various public and private organizations, including:
- Member of the Supervisory Board of Nederlandse Spoorwegen (Dutch Railways).
- Member of the Supervisory Board of Royal Schiphol Group (Amsterdam Airport Schiphol).
- Member of the Supervisory Board of Rabobank Nederland.
- Chair of the Supervisory Board of the Nederlandse Publieke Omroep (NPO - Dutch Public Broadcasting).
- Acting Chair of the Dutch Employers' Federation VNO-NCW (2005).
- Various roles in the cultural and healthcare sectors.