Mayor Eberhard Van Der Laan – Curriculum Vitae Introduction
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Mayor Eberhard van der Laan – Curriculum Vitae Introduction Eberhard Edzard van der Laan was born in Leiden on 28 June 1955. He studied law at VU University Amsterdam and after graduation took the initiative to set up a law firm (Kennedy Van der Laan) in 1992. He ended his relationship with that firm when he took office as Minister for Housing, Communities and Integration in 2008. In this function, Van der Laan committed himself to the integration and naturalisation of new Dutch citizens and to improving the situation in disadvantaged urban areas in the Netherlands. Van der Laan joined the Dutch Labour Party (Partij van de Arbeid, PvdA) in 1976. He sat on the Amsterdam City Council for the party from 1990 to 1998, from 1993 as chairman of his party’s council representatives. Before that, he was political assistant to Alderman Jan Schaefer. As a lawyer, Van der Laan, in addition to counting many large companies and institutions among his clients, showed a great deal of interest in social issues. He often stood up for tenants, small civil-society organisations and people on the margins of society. On countless occasions he acted both formally and informally as mediator in a variety of conflicts. In addition, Van der Laan sat on the board of various social, cultural and commercial organisations before taking office as Mayor of Amsterdam. These organisations were primarily based in Amsterdam and include the Resistance Museum, the weekly paper De Groene Amsterdammer and Circus Elleboog, a circus for and by children. On 7 July 2010, Eberhard van der Laan took office as Mayor of Amsterdam. The office of Amsterdam’s Mayor encompasses a variety of additional functions. As such, Van der Laan holds positions as Force Manager for the Amsterdam-Amstelland police department; as Chairman for Daily and General Administration for the Regional Fire Service and as Chairman of the organisation for Medical Assistance for Accidents and Disasters in the Netherlands. Eberhard van der Laan is married and has five children. Education 1983: Law degree (with honours) at VU University Amsterdam 1974: Graduation from Visser ’t Hooftlyceum, Leiden, the Netherlands Work and political career July 2010 - present: Mayor of Amsterdam 2008 - 2010: Minister for Housing, Communities and Integration 1992 - 2008: Kennedy Van der Laan, lawyers and solicitors (co-founder), Amsterdam 1984 - 1992: Van Doorne & Sjollema / Trenité Van Doorne, lawyers and solicitors, Amsterdam Begin ’80: Political assistant to Alderman Jan Schaefer Administrative functions: The office of Amsterdam’s Mayor encompasses a variety of additional functions. As such, Van der Laan holds positions as: Chairman of the College of Alderpersons Chairman of the Security Region Amsterdam-Amstelland Regional Mayor police district Amsterdam Chairman of Vervoerregio Amsterdam (‘Transport Region of Amsterdam’) Chairman of the Amsterdam Economic Board Chairman of the Amsterdam Royal Palace Foundation Previous administrative activities 1990 - 1998: Member of the Amsterdam City Council for the PvdA, Party Chairman from 1993 Chairman of the Board of the Dutch Resistance Museum Amsterdam Chairman of the Board of the W.E. Jansen Fund Chairman of the Board of De Groene Amsterdammer Chairman of the Board of De Appel Arts Centre Member of the Supervisory Board of Public Broadcasting Member of the Board of Trustees of Het Parool / Member of the Board of Het Nieuwe Parool Member of the Board of the Forum for Urban Renewal Member of the Board of Circus Elleboog Member of the Advisory Council of the Amsterdam Port Authority Supervisory Director RIGO .