Roelof Nelissen

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.

Roelof Nelissen
Roelof Nelissen in 1971
Deputy Prime Minister
In office 6 July 1971 – 11 May 1973 Serving with Molly Geertsema
Prime Minister	Barend Biesheuvel
Preceded by	Johan Witteveen Joop Bakker
Succeeded by	Dries van Agt
Minister of Finance
In office 6 July 1971 – 11 May 1973
Prime Minister	Barend Biesheuvel
Preceded by	Johan Witteveen
Succeeded by	Wim Duisenberg
Minister for Suriname and Netherlands Antilles Affairs
In office 6 July 1971 – 28 January 1972
Prime Minister	Barend Biesheuvel
Preceded by	Joop Bakker
Succeeded by	Pierre Lardinois
Minister of Economic Affairs
In office 14 January 1970 – 6 July 1971
Prime Minister	Piet de Jong
Preceded by	Johan Witteveen (Ad interim)
Succeeded by	Harrie 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 group	Catholic People's Party
Personal details
Born	Roelof Johannes Nelissen (1931-04-04)4 April 1931 Hoofdplaat, Netherlands
Died	18 July 2019(2019-07-18) (aged 88) Hilversum, Netherlands
Political party	Christian 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 mater	Radboud University Nijmegen (Bachelor of Laws, Master of Laws)
Occupation	Politician · Jurist · Economist · Businessman · Banker · Financial adviser · Corporate director · Nonprofit director · Trade association executive · Lobbyist
Military service
Allegiance	Netherlands
Branch/service	Royal Netherlands Army
Years of service	1955–1956 (Conscription) 1956–1961 (Reserve)
Rank	Sergeant
Unit	Medical Corps
Battles/wars	Cold War

Biography

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. 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 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

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

External links

Official

• (in Dutch) Mr. R.J. (Roelof) Nelissen Parlement & Politiek