Aart Jan de Geus

Aart Jan de Geus (born July 28 1955 in Doorn) is a CDA Dutch politician and was the Minister of Social Affairs and Employment of the Netherlands in the first, second and third cabinet Balkenende.

Personal Life and Career

De Geus received his propedeuse in accounting in 1975. He then studied Dutch law at the Erasmus University, followed by postdoctoral studies at the Catholic University of Nijmegen. [ Parlement & Politiek, [http://www.parlement.com/9291000/biof/02393] (in Dutch)]

From 1980, de Geus worked for the Federation of Christian Trade Unions (CNV). In 1993 he became a vice-chairman, with a portfolio including social security, pensions, public health and public works. In this capacity he also became a member of the Dutch Social-Economic Council. In 1998, he was made a partner in the consulting firm Boer & Croon.

Political career

On July 22, 2002, de Geus became Minister of Social Affairs and Employment in the Balkenende I cabinet. On October 16, he took over the Ministry of Health, Welfare and Sport. He was renamed Minister of Social Affairs and Employment in the Balkenende II Cabinet.

On February 6, 2007, it became known that de Geus did not plan on returning in the new cabinet and would likely become a Deputy Secretary General of the OECD. [ CDA, “Van Bijsterveldt feliciteert De Geus” [http://www.cda.nl/tweedekamer+nieuws.aspx?itemID=765] (in Dutch) ] . He left his ministerial position February 20 of that year and assumed his OECD duties on March 5. [Algemeen Dagsblad, “Overstap De Geus naar OESO definitief” [http://www.ad.nl/economie/article1110932.ece] (in Dutch) ]

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