1. Before you became the Director of DPG, you were ambassador to Slovakia. How do you look back on this period?

‘That was a very unique and interesting time. And above all: I learned a lot. The period I was there was obviously very much characterized by Russia’s invasion of Ukraine, a neighbour of Slovakia’s. Like many other European countries, Slovakia was facing a major influx of refugees and working to provide them with shelter, education and healthcare. I was impressed by how it dealt with these challenges, and how we, as European partners, were able to help, but also by the role played by NGOs and international organisations.’

‘A lot happened during the three and a half years I spent in Slovakia. We had various official visits, with Prime Minister Rutte going to Slovakia and Prime Minister Eduard Heger coming to the Netherlands. The Dutch Ministers of Foreign Affairs and Defence also paid visits, and of course The Netherlands temporarily contributed Patriot air defence systems in NATO context in Slovakia. Obviously, a high point for bilateral relations between the Netherlands and Slovakia was the 2023 state visit by King Willem-Alexander and Queen Máxima, at the invitation of President Zuzana Čaputová. Occasions like that present a great opportunity to strengthen diplomatic ties. Our excellent relations are also reflected in a great many concrete projects and forms of cooperation, such as a Dutch-Slovak cooperation on the protection of journalists. We launched a Slovak version of the Dutch PersVeilig (PressSafe) platform: Bezpečná.žurnalistika.sk (Safe.Journalism.sk). We connected businesses working on the circular economy and organised the Diplomat for a Day project for secondary-school pupils. There are too many initiatives to name!’

2. As director of DPG you’re seeing things from the other side now, compared to when you were ambassador. How has that been so far? Is there a big difference, looking at things from a different perspective?

‘Yes, I now have even more appreciation for my Slovak counterpart, whom I know very well and worked with closely! It’s very instructive to be able to see this work now also from the other side. As director of DPG I receive a wide variety of requests, but I also like to think – at least, I hope – that I am often able to contribute something substantial. Sometimes that means being clear and honest about what isn’t possible, but often we can concretely help find the right approach or pathway to something. A foreign ministry’s protocol department is often the first point of contact for diplomats arriving at their new, temporary home, and that means we have an important role to play in helping people find their way around.’

‘In these first few weeks I’ve been very impressed by the Netherlands’ approach to its role as a host country, from guiding the process of agrément and  the credential ceremonies upon the new arrival of an ambassador, to advising embassies and international organisations on their security issues. We try to talk to as many people as we can and keep our finger on the pulse. We have a large number of customer-friendly and service-oriented professionals in the DPG team, and we have high quality, very effective technical systems like the PROBAS personal records database, a register of all 27,000 privileged persons in the Netherlands.’

3. Before you were in Slovakia, you were seconded to the Royal Household, and before that you worked in Zagreb and in New York, and as private secretary to both the Minister of Foreign Affairs and the Minister for European Affairs. And you also worked at the Information and Communication Department and the IT Department. Is there a common thread running through your career?

‘A common thread is something you usually only notice in hindsight; I think that’s true for most diplomats. Over the years your career is shaped by the things you experience, the countries you work in and the choices you make. I’ve always found it very interesting and challenging to work at the nexus of different ‘worlds’, helping to build bridges between people, groups and countries. In the IT department I was positioned between the world of foreign policy on one side and the world of tech on the other. In the Royal Household it was the intersection of Queen Máxima’s role as the UN Secretary-General’s Special Advocate for Inclusive Finance for Development and her tasks as Queen of The Netherlands. And of course, as ambassador you’re very literally building bridges between countries. And sometimes you even get an opportunity to connect two people from your host country who had not met before. That’s what I often enjoyed most of all.’

4. Looking at your new role as director of DPG, what are your top priorities?

‘My top priority is to get acquainted with my colleagues in the department, which I’ll do by having a personal chat with each one. Then, as soon as possible, I’d like to get in touch with each of the embassies and international organisations that we work with as host country, and get better acquainted with them too. The Netherlands occupies a special position, not only because of the number of embassies here but also because we’re the host country for many international organisations.’

‘A host country plays a crucial role. We’re proud of the fact that we have 110 embassies and 39 international organisations in the Netherlands, mainly in The Hague. That underlines the importance we attach to multilateral cooperation, and above all to the international legal order. But it also comes with obligations and responsibilities that we take very seriously. That means continuously thinking about how we can fulfil our role even more effectively, in close consultation and good cooperation with all those international partners.’

‘In the meantime, the schedule of visits never lets up. Besides coordinating and organising incoming and outgoing state visits, DPG also plays a major role in receiving and accompanying government ministers, prime ministers and heads of state.’

5. Finally, what do you miss most about the Netherlands when you’re living abroad? And when people are planning to visit the Netherlands, what do you recommend they do?

‘When I’m living abroad and I make a brief trip home to the Netherlands, there are two things I always do: eat bitterballen at an outdoor café and get a tompouce at the HEMA. Actually, three things: I also buy a big piece of jong belegen cheese to take back with me. And what I missed most about The Hague – especially when I was living in landlocked Slovakia – was the sea and the beach. I love going there in any season, whether it’s for a walk during a spring storm or to have a drink and a bite to eat at a beach pavillion in summer. So I tell everyone to relax and unwind on a windy day at the beach from time to time – a very Dutch thing to do!’