Ad Melkert

Adrianus Petrus Wilhelmus "Ad" Melkert (Dutch: [ɑt ˈmɛlkərt] ; born 12 February 1956) is a Dutch politician and diplomat of the Labour Party (PvdA) who has served as a Member of the Council of State since 20 January 2016. Melkert studied Political science at the University of Amsterdam obtaining a Master of Social Science degree. Melkert worked as a political activist for the youth branch of the European Community in Brussels from July 1981 until March 1984 and as a nonprofit director for the charity Oxfam Novib from March 1984 until June 1986. After the election of 1986 Melkert was elected as a Member of the House of Representatives and served as a frontbencher and spokesperson for Development Cooperation and the Environment. After the election of 1994 Melkert was appointed as Minister of Social Affairs and Employment in the Cabinet Kok I taking office on 22 August 1994. After the election of 1998 Melkert returned to the House of Representatives on 19 May 1998 and declined to serve in the new cabinet and was selected as Parliamentary leader on 13 July 1998. Shortly before an upcoming election Party Leader Wim Kok announced his retirement and Melkert announced his candidacy to succeed him as Leader and was selected as his successor on 15 December 2001. For the election of 2002 Melkert served as Lijsttrekker (top candidate) but suffered a large defeat and stepped down as Leader and Parliamentary leader on 16 May 2002 but continued to serve in the House of Representatives as a backbencher. In October 2002 Melkert was nominated as an executive director of the World Bank Group and the International Monetary Fund serving until March 2006 when he was nominated as an Associate Administrator of the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) serving until July 2009 when he was...