PERSONAL DATA
| Surname | M. F.H.H. (Frans) Weekers |
| Born | 17 October 1967, Weert |
| Marital status | Divorced, three children |
| Secretariat | m.vandenbroeck@benelux.int s.benyoussef@benelux.int |
| Phone | +32 (0)2 519 38 66 +32 (0)2 519 39 04 |
PROFILE
Experienced director with a solid financial, economic and legal background. Combines the pragmatism of an economist with the diligence and precision of a lawyer.
Knows how to carefully balance interests, is decisive and communicates clearly and consistently. Inventive autonomous diplomat with a large network in politics, public administration, civil service, civil society organisations and business, both at home and abroad. Is driven by justice and has broad economic, social and civic interests, both nationally and internationally.
Keywords: in-depth (complex subject matter), socially relevant, experienced negotiator. A genuine networker, connector and bridge builder. Knows how to motivate and get people to commit to results. Is tenacious but also willing to compromise. Enjoys working with professionals, seeks space for creative solutions, has a broad outlook, finds the way out of an impasse, is results-oriented, has a strong moral compass and is collegial, loyal and resilient.
CURRENT ROLES
Main role:
2023 – Secretary-General of the Benelux Union
2020 – Deputy Secretary-General of the Benelux Union
2016 – présent Administrator (Executive Director) on the Board of the European Bank for Reconstruction and Development (EBRD) in London. Represents five shareholders on the Bank’s board: The Netherlands (on behalf of the Minister of Finance and the Minister of Foreign Trade and Development Cooperation), China (on behalf of the Governor of the Peoples Bank of China), Armenia, Northern Macedonia and Mongolia. Leads constituency office, is vice-chair of the Board Steering Group; chaired the Financial and Operations Policy Committee and vice-chaired the Budget and Administrative Affairs Committee.
Has led multiple Board Consulting visits to countries in which the Bank operates.
Additional roles:
2018/2020 – Special Representative for the Reconstruction of Sint Maarten and member of the Steering Committee (SC) of the Sint Maarten Hurricane Irma Reconstruction, Recovery and Resilience Programme Single Donor Trust Fund on behalf of the Secretary of State for Home Affairs and Kingdom Relations. The Netherlands funnelled €470m into this fund in 2018 to finance projects to rebuild and strengthen Sint Maarten’s resilience following the island’s devastation by Hurricane Irma. The World Bank manages the fund, which is governed by an SC consisting of three members.
2016 – present – member of the Supervisory Board of Maastricht School of Management (MSM)
2015 – present – board member of Foundation for Ecumenical Politics; soon to be the Thorbeck Foundation.
PREVIOUS ROLES
2015/2016 – Acting mayor of the Municipality of Beek
2015 – Acting mayor of the Municipality of Heerlen
2012/2014 – State Secretary of Finance in the Rutte II cabinet
Responsible for all tax policy, legislation and tax treaties, among other things. Implemented various reforms and set the agenda in the fight against fraud.
Responsible for the Tax and Customs Administration, Customs, the Fiscal Information and Investigation Service and the State Property Service Movable Goods. Implemented various reforms, including substantial office reductions. Shareholder responsibility for the state-owned Royal Dutch Mint, Staatsloterij and Holland Casino.
Dutch member of the Eurogroup. Tasks included tackling the euro crisis (rescuing Cyprus and creation of the banking union).
Joint fund manager of the Municipal and Provincial Fund
2010/2012 – State Secretary of Finance in the Rutte I cabinet
Same as above, barring Royal Dutch Mint and Eurogroup; additionally responsible for the Central Government Real Estate Agency.
2006/2010 – Member of the Dutch House of Representatives, VVD group
Financial spokesperson responsible, among other things, for legislation and checks in the field of the national budget and accountability of the State, financial markets and their supervision by AFM and DNB, European and international financial developments (including dealing with the banking, credit and euro crisis), state shareholdings, constitutional reform of the Kingdom.
International:
Deputy member of the interparliamentary assembly of the Council of Europe and Western European Union;
Chair of the Dutch delegation and chair of the Committee for Justice and Public Order of the Benelux Consultative Interparliamentary Council (Benelux Parliament). Various initiatives.
2003/2006 – Member of the Dutch House of Representatives, VVD group. Spokesperson on Justice, initiated a parliamentary investigation into the Dutch Entrustment Act, miscarriages of justice, justice legislation
Spokesperson on Social Affairs and Employment (social security and welfare reform, initiatives and monitoring in the field of work and income support); healthcare system reform.
International:
Chair of the Dutch delegation and chair of the Committee for Justice and Public Order of the Benelux Consultative Interparliamentary Council (Benelux Parliament). Various initiatives.
1998/2002 – Member of the Dutch House of Representatives, VVD group
Spokesperson in various areas, including Finance, Social Affairs and Employment, Public Health, Welfare and Sport, Justice, European Affairs and Public Expenditure.
1994/1998 – Lawyer and public prosecutor, Hoeberechts Advocaten in Weert
PREVIOUS ADDITIONAL ROLES
2015-présent – Frans Weekers Consultancy (currently dormant), sole trader
2016 – Special advisor/special envoy to the European Investment Bank (EIB)
2015 – member of the Deetman-Weekers Committee (demographic challenges faced by the province of Limburg), established by the provincial executive
2014/2015 – member of the evaluation committee for a New State Structure for the Caribbean Netherlands (Spies Committee), established by the Minister of the Interior and Kingdom Relations and the administrative bodies of the BES islands
2014/2016 – Chair of the board of the National Energy Savings Fund (NEF), a €300m public-private fund to provide low-cost loans to private homeowners to finance energy-saving measures.
2003/2010 – Lawyer and public prosecutor in Weert 2008-2010 Member of the Weert Municipal Council (VVD)
2008/2010 – Member of the Weert Municipal Council (VVD)
2003/2007 – Chair of MKB-Limburg
2002/2010 – Member of the Supervisory Board of Sint Jans Gasthuis in Weert (general hospital)
2002/2006 – Member of the Supervisory Board of Stichting Zorgnetwerk Land van Horne (nursing and care homes and home care)
1994/2003 – Member of Weert Municipal Council (VVD), group chair
1994/2002 1998/2002 – Member of the Central Limburg Region general council
EDUCATION
1995/1997 – Professional training in law, Continuing Internship Training and Internship Certificate in Law (1998-2010 continuing education)
1990/1993 – PhD in Dutch law, Faculty of Law, VU Amsterdam
1987/1992 – PhD in Financial Economics, Faculty of Economics and Econometrics, VU Amsterdam
1980/1987 – VWO, Philips van Horne Scholengemeenschap, Weert
LANGUAGES
Dutch, English, German and French
