Prof. dr. Koen Becking MPA

‘Education is the most powerful weapon which you can use to change the world’
- Nelson Mandela -

Since 2020, Prof Dr Koen Becking, MPA, is the Rector Magnificus and Chairman of the Executive Board of Nyenrode Business University.

Koen Becking was Chief Executive Officer of Tilburg University from 2012 to 2019. During his chairmanship, Becking managed a transition at Tilburg University, in which a new course was set for the academic identity organization with a full focus on growth and innovation. As part of this, he also started various initiatives such as the Virtual Reality Lab Tilburg University and Mindlabs Tilburg, the European network of research universities for Business and Economics and the Heronimus Academy of Data Sciences in collaboration with Eindhoven University of Technology.

From 2007 to 2012, Becking was Chairman of the Board at broadcasting station KRO. Prior to that, he was director of the privatized Rijksopleidingsinstituut ROI (Dutch Training Institute).

Becking obtained his PhD in 2001 at Utrecht University on the subject of industrial relations. In 1992 he graduated as a political scientist from the University of Amsterdam and in 1999 he obtained his Master of Public Administration at the Netherlands School of Public Administration.

Koen Becking has been an honorary professor at Stellenbosch University since 2018. Before that, he had been associated with that same university as professor by special appointment since 2003.

Secondary positions

• Chair of the strategic advisory board for strategy and policy at TNO.
• Member of the Advisory Board at Studyportals, Emma at Work, the School of Management of Zheijang University.
• Chair of the Advisory Council of the Hague Rugby Club.