News item | 02-09-2025 | 10:51 AM
The Dutch government is taking an important step in accelerating digitization with the launch of the NDS council. In addition to the chairman, this independent advisory board consists of 14 leading digitization experts. The new council was presented during the IB control conference 2025.
The Dutch Digitization Strategy (NDS) is a joint strategy of municipalities, provinces, water boards, public service providers and the central government to strengthen the digital infrastructure of the Netherlands and to tackle social challenges more effectively. It has been agreed to accelerate on six related priorities: joint cloud technology, data responsibly sharing and utilizing over government strokes, using the opportunities of AI responsibility, setting citizens and entrepreneurs, strengthening digital resilience and autonomy of the government and the strengthening of digital craftsmanship of civil servants.
The NDS Council provides solicited and unsolicited advice and feedback on the progress and implementation of the NDS. The advisory board consists of members from within the government and external members from science, knowledge institutions and business. The external experts have expertise and authority on themes such as artificial intelligence (AI), cyber security, data exchange, cloud technology and the improvement of digital government services to citizens and companies. The members from within the government participate as chairman of an NDS-Juise team per priority.
State Secretary for the Interior Eddie van Marum emphasizes the importance of this collaboration: “The NDS is a crucial step towards a future-proof digital government. The NDS council, with its broad knowledge and experience, is an important driver to accelerate our goals in the field of digitization. We now have to pay for a concrete step. Making on these files, a substantial contribution is needed for digitization.
Nathan Ducastel, chairman of the NDS Council and director of VNG Realization, adds: “The cooperation between all parties involved is essential. Only by joining forces can we shape the digital transformation successfully and ensure that no one is left behind.”
The members of the NDS Council are:
– Dr. A. (Arre) Zuurmond (former Government Commissioner Information Management)
– B. (Bas) Dunnebier (Chief Science and Technology Officer AIVD)
– E. (Emily) Glastra (chairman of the NLDigital trade association)
– I. (Inge) Bryan (chairman of the board of the Dutch Institute for Vulnerability Disclosure (DIVD))
– Prof. dr. Dr. Ir. N. (Nites) Bharosa (professor of Govtech and Innovation TU Delft)
– Prof. dr. Dr. P. (Paul) Timmers (Professor KU Leuven, University of Rijeka and European University Cyprus)
– Dr. TBPM (Tjark) Tjin-a-Tsoi (CEO and chairman of the TNO board)
– Drs. El (Emine) Özyenici MCM (plv. Secretary General JenV)
– JH (Hans) Ouwehand* (chairman of the board of directors of the CAK, priority citizen and entrepreneur central)
– Drs. JJCM (Jan) Gudde* (acting chief director of operational management JenV, priority digital resilience and autonomy)
– R. (Ron) Kolkman* (Chief Engineer-Director- CIO at Rijkswaterstaat, Priority Cloud)
– T. (Tanja) van Burgel* (CIO Ministry of Finance, Priority Digital Craftsmanship)
– LM (Larissa) Zegveld* (General Director of Stichting Kennisnet, priority Artificial Intelligence)
– Chairman Inter -administrative data consultation*, (to be announced in more detail, priority data)
* Member NDS Council from the government and chairman of one of the six priorities within the NDS.
For more information: Marcus Polman, spokesperson for digitization, State Secretary Eddie van Marum.