Henk Kamp

Henk Kamp
Kamp in 2011
Minister of Defence
In office
24 September 2021 – 10 January 2022
Prime MinisterMark Rutte
Preceded byFerdinand Grapperhaus (Acting)
Succeeded byKajsa Ollongren
In office
12 December 2002 – 22 February 2007
Prime MinisterJan Peter Balkenende
Preceded byBenk Korthals
Succeeded byEimert van Middelkoop
Minister of Economic Affairs
In office
5 November 2012 – 26 October 2017
Prime MinisterMark Rutte
Preceded byMaxime Verhagen
Economic Affairs, Agriculture
and Innovation
Succeeded byEric Wiebes
Economic Affairs and
Climate Policy
Minister of Social Affairs
and Employment
In office
14 October 2010 – 5 November 2012
Prime MinisterMark Rutte
Preceded byPiet Hein Donner
Succeeded byLodewijk Asscher
Governor of the
Caribbean Netherlands
In office
1 January 2009 – 10 October 2010
MonarchBeatrix
Preceded byOffice established
Succeeded byHans Gerritsen
Minister of Housing, Spatial
Planning and the Environment
In office
22 July 2002 – 27 May 2003
Prime MinisterJan Peter Balkenende
Preceded byJan Pronk
Succeeded bySybilla Dekker
Member of the House
of Representatives
In office
30 November 2006 – 18 December 2008
In office
30 January 2003 – 27 May 2003
In office
17 May 1994 – 22 July 2002
Parliamentary groupPeople's Party for
Freedom and Democracy
Personal details
Born
Henricus Gregorius Jozeph Kamp

(1952-07-23) 23 July 1952 (age 72)
Hengelo, Netherlands
Political partyPeople's Party for
Freedom and Democracy

(from 1972)
Spouse
Linda Kamp
(m. 1975)
Children1 son and 1 daughter
Residence(s)Diepenheim, Netherlands
Occupation

Henricus Gregorius Jozeph "Henk" Kamp (Dutch pronunciation: [ɦɛnˈrikʏs xreːˈɣoːrijə ˈɕoːzəf ɦɛŋ ˈkɑmp];[a] born 23 July 1952) is a Dutch politician of the People's Party for Freedom and Democracy (VVD) who was Minister of Defence in the Cabinet Rutte III from 24 September 2021 to 10 January 2022. He previously was Minister of Defence in the Cabinets Balkenende I, II and III from 12 December 2002 until 22 February 2007.

Kamp studied Customs at the Civil Service Academy in Utrecht. Kamp worked as a tax collector for the Fiscal Information and Investigation Service (FIOD) of the Tax and Customs Administration from April 1980 until May 1994. After the election of 1994 Kamp was elected as a Member of the House of Representatives on 17 May 1994 and was a frontbencher and spokesperson for Integration. After the election of 2002 Kamp was appointed as Minister of Housing, Spatial Planning and the Environment in the Cabinet Balkenende I taking office on 22 July 2002. The Cabinet Balkenende I fell just 87 days into its term and shortly thereafter was appointed as Minister of Defence following the resignation of Benk Korthals taking office on 12 December 2002. After the election of 2003 Kamp continued as Minister of Defence in the Cabinet Balkenende II. The Cabinet Balkenende fell on 30 June 2006 was replaced with the caretaker Cabinet Balkenende III with Kamp retaining his position. After the election of 2006 Kamp returned to the House of Representatives on 30 November 2006 and was a frontbencher and spokesperson for Kingdom Relations. In December 2008 Kamp was nominated as the first Governor of the Caribbean Netherlands serving from 1 January 2009 until 10 October 2010.

After the election of 2010 Kamp was appointed as Minister of Social Affairs and Employment in the Cabinet Rutte I taking office 14 October 2010. The Cabinet Rutte I fell 18 months into its term and shortly thereafter announced that he would not stand for the election of 2012 but accept to serve in a new cabinet position. After the election Kamp was appointed as Minister of Economic Affairs in the Cabinet Rutte II taking office on 5 November 2012. In February 2016 Kamp announced his retirement and that he wouldn't stand for the election of 2017 and declined to serve in new cabinet.

Kamp retired from active politics at 65 and became active in the private sector, and as a trade association executive serving as Chairman of the Healthcare Providers association since January 2018 and became a Member of the Social and Economic Council for the Industry and Employers confederation (VNO-NCW) in February 2018.
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