Roelof Johannes Nelissen (4 April 1931 – 18 July 2019) was a Dutch politician of the defunct Catholic People's Party (KVP) now merged into the Christian Democratic Appeal (CDA) party and businessman.[1]

Roelof Nelissen
Roelof Nelissen in 1971
Deputy Prime Minister
In office
6 July 1971 – 11 May 1973
Serving with Molly Geertsema
Prime MinisterBarend Biesheuvel
Preceded byJohan Witteveen
Joop Bakker
Succeeded byDries van Agt
Minister of Finance
In office
6 July 1971 – 11 May 1973
Prime MinisterBarend Biesheuvel
Preceded byJohan Witteveen
Succeeded byWim Duisenberg
Minister for Suriname and
Netherlands Antilles Affairs
In office
6 July 1971 – 28 January 1972
Prime MinisterBarend Biesheuvel
Preceded byJoop Bakker
Succeeded byPierre Lardinois
Minister of Economic Affairs
In office
14 January 1970 – 6 July 1971
Prime MinisterPiet de Jong
Preceded byJohan Witteveen (Ad interim)
Succeeded byHarrie Langman
Member of the House of Representatives
In office
7 December 1972 – 7 March 1973
In office
11 May 1971 – 6 July 1971
In office
5 June 1963 – 14 January 1970
Parliamentary groupCatholic People's Party
Personal details
Born
Roelof Johannes Nelissen

(1931-04-04)4 April 1931
Hoofdplaat, Netherlands
Died18 July 2019(2019-07-18) (aged 88)
Hilversum, Netherlands
Political partyChristian Democratic Appeal
(from 1980)
Other political
affiliations
Catholic People's Party
(until 1980)
Spouse
Annemarie van der Kelen
(m. 1957; died 2018)
Residence(s)Laren, Netherlands
Alma materRadboud University Nijmegen
(Bachelor of Laws, Master of Laws)
OccupationPolitician · Jurist · Economist · Businessman · Banker · Financial adviser · Corporate director · Nonprofit director · Trade association executive · Lobbyist
Military service
Allegiance Netherlands
Branch/serviceRoyal Netherlands Army
Years of service1955–1956 (Conscription)
1956–1961 (Reserve)
Rank Sergeant
UnitMedical Corps
Battles/warsCold War

Biography

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Nelissen attended a Gymnasium in Dongen from April 1943 until May 1949 and applied at the Radboud University Nijmegen in June 1950 majoring in Tax law obtaining a Bachelor of Laws degree in June 1952 before graduating with a Master of Laws degree in July 1956. Nelissen was conscripted in the Medical Corps of the Royal Netherlands Army serving as a Sergeant from September 1956 until October 1957. Nelissen worked as a trade association executive for the Catholic Business association from December 1956 until September 1968 and served as Deputy General-Secretary of the Executive Board from December 1956 until June 1962 and General-Secretary of the Executive Board from June 1962 until September 1968.

Nelissen was elected as a Member of the House of Representatives after the election of 1963, taking office on 5 June 1963 serving as a frontbencher chairing the special parliamentary committee for Right of Inquiries for Companies and spokesperson for Finances, Housing and Spatial Planning, Small business and deputy spokesperson for Economic Affairs. Nelissen was appointed Minister of Economic Affairs in the Cabinet De Jong following the resignation of Leo de Block, taking office on 14 January 1970.[2] After the election of 1971 Nelissen returned as a Member of the House of Representatives, taking office on 11 May 1971. Following the cabinet formation of 1971 Nelissen was appointed Deputy Prime Minister, Minister of Finance and Minister for Suriname and Netherlands Antilles Affairs in the Cabinet Biesheuvel I, taking office on 6 July 1971. On 28 January 1972 Nelissen resigned as Minister for Suriname and Netherlands Antilles Affairs following the appointment of Minister of Agriculture and Fisheries Pierre Lardinois. The Cabinet Biesheuvel I fell just one year later on 19 July 1972 following the withdrawal of the Democratic Socialists '70 (DS'70) because of their dissatisfaction with the proposed budget memorandum to further reduce the deficit and continued to serve in a demissionary capacity until the first cabinet formation of 1972 when it was replaced by the caretaker Cabinet Biesheuvel II with Nelissen continuing as Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Finance, taking office on 9 August 1972. After the election of 1972 Nelissen again returned as a Member of the House of Representatives, taking office on 7 December 1972[2] but he was still serving in the cabinet and because of dualism customs in the constitutional convention of Dutch politics he couldn't serve a dual mandate. He subsequently resigned as a Member of the House of Representatives on 7 March 1973. Following the second cabinet formation of 1972 Nelissen was not given a cabinet post in the new cabinet, the Cabinet Biesheuvel II was replaced by the Cabinet Den Uyl on 11 May 1973.

Nelissen retired from national politics and became active in the private sector. In September 1973 he was named as a financial adviser for the AMRO Bank, in September 1979 he was named as chief financial officer (CFO) and vice chairman of the board of directors for the AMRO Bank, in April 1983 he was appointed chief executive officer CEO and chairman of the board of directors for the AMRO Bank. In 1991 the AMRO Bank and the General Bank of the Netherlands (ABN) chose to merge to form the ABN AMRO with Nelissen appointed CEO and chairman of the board of directors from April 1991 until December 1992.

Decorations

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Honours
Ribbon bar Honour Country Date Comment
  Knight of the Order of the Holy Sepulchre Holy See 15 August 1971
  Commander of the Order of Orange-Nassau Netherlands 8 June 1973
  Grand Officer of the Honorary Order of the Palm Suriname 25 April 1978
  Grand Officer of the Order of the Crown Belgium 15 May 1984

References

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  1. ^ (in Dutch) Beste minister van Financiën (keuzelijst)
  2. ^ a b "Mr. R.J. (Roelof) Nelissen". www.parlement.com (in Dutch). Retrieved 2024-09-29.
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Official
Political offices
Preceded by
Johan Witteveen
Ad interim
Minister of Economic Affairs
1970–1971
Succeeded by
Preceded by Deputy Prime Minister
1971–1973
Served alongside:
Molly Geertsema
Succeeded by
Preceded by
Preceded by Minister of Finance
1971–1973
Succeeded by
Preceded by Minister for Suriname and
Netherlands Antilles Affairs

1971–1972
Succeeded by
Business positions
Preceded by
Unknown
CFO and Vice Chairman
of the board of directors
of the AMRO Bank

1979–1983
Succeeded by
Unknown
Preceded by CEO and Chairman of the
Board of directors of the
AMRO Bank

1983–1991
Succeeded by
Office discontinued
Preceded by
Office established
CEO and Chairman of the
Board of directors of
ABN AMRO

1991–1992
Succeeded by
Rob Hazelhoff