Drs. D.A. (Dick) Benschop - Main contents

Political talent, who was junior minister for European Affairs from 1998 to 2002. Confidant and advisor to prime-minister Kok, whom he had worked for earlier. Prior to his appointment he was the director of the party-bureau for the social democrats (PvdA) and later became member of the Commissariat of the Media. He was involved in several election campaigns during those years. Though part of the ‘inner circle’ of Dutch politics, he had a low public profile.

After his tenure as junior minister he briefly became member of the House of Representatives before starting a career at Royal Dutch Shell. He is president-director of Shell Nederland since May 1st 2011.

Name and surname

Dick Anne (Dick) Benschop

Date of birth

November 5th 1957

Place of birth

Driebergen

Family

• E. 

  Minnemann, Elisabeth (spouse)

Three children

Selected honours and distinctions

Knight in the Order of Orange-Nassau, December 10th 2002

Secondary education

gymnasium-b in Doorn

Academic

history, Vrije Universiteit (Amsterdam), to 1984

PvdA (Dutch Labour Party)

Party-political functions

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  campaign-leader PvdA during the House of Representatives Electionts of 2002, from December 2000 to May 2002

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  history-teacher, 1984 to 1985S
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  personal assistant to J.M. den Uyl and W. Kok, parliamentary group-leaders of PvdA in the Dutch House of Representatives, 1986 to 1989
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  secretary to M.A.M. Wöltgens, parliamentary group-leader PvdA in the Dutch House of Representatives, 1989 to 1990
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  director of the Party Bureau of PvdA, 1995 to 1998
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  independent consultant, 1994 to 1998
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  Commissioner for the Media, 1996 to August 3rd 1998
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  junior minister of Foreign Affairs, August 3rd 1998 to July 22nd 2002
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  member of the Dutch House of Representatives from May 23rd 2002 to September 1st 2002
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  vice-president Strategy and Portfolio, Shell Energy Europe, July 2003 to 2006
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  vice-president Shell Kuala Lipur, 2006 to 2009
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  vice-president Strategy, Royal Dutch Shell, 2009 to May 1st 2011
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  president-director of “Shell Nederland” B.V. since May 1st 2011

Current

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  various appointments linked to the function of president of Shell Nederland
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  member of the Economic Development Board Rotterdam
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  president of the supervisory board of “The Hague Institute of Global Justice’
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  member of the advisory board of Clingendael International Engergy Programme CIEP
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  member Trilateral Commission

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  helped ensure Dutch ratification of the Amsterdam Treaty by parliament, and played an important role in negotiating the Nice Treaty
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  at the European Council summit in Berlin he was a driving force in securing a two bilion euro reduction in the Dutch contribution to the EU