Born in Utrecht 1928 of Dutch nationality. Studied law at Leiden and served in the US Airforce and in NATO as a pilot in the early nineteen fifties. With Shell International in Tanzania and Uganda and in Kikuyu territory in Kenya during the Mau Mau rebellion 1959, graduated in Arabic language at the British Foreign Office School (MECAS), Libanon. (Other languages, French, German and Spanish). Subsequent 5 years in company general management throughout the Middle East and North Africa. Attended the first Arab Petroleum Congress as a delegate After 3 years in the late sixties at Shell Centre in the Hague and London, Chief Executive Equatorial Africa (Cameroun, Gabon, Congo, Central African republic, Tchad), unavoidably transacting business at Heads of State level. Involved in French economic and military support to these states, some of which used by the French for covert support to the unsuccessful Ebo revolt in Nigeria. Chief Executive of Shell Vietnam from 1972-1975, last years of the ill-fated Republic of South Vietnam. From 1976 in Shell Europe, helping to draft the internal "Shell Business Principles" and also the UN and OECD "Guidelines for Multinationals", advising the European Community and the International Energy Agency (IEA) on emergency oil storage and supply measures. 1981. President of Shell regional Centre for Latin America and the Caribbean in Caracas, Venezuela. Dealing with dictatorial, democratic and revolutionary governments (e.g. the sandinistas in Nicaragua) on investments, security, and compensation for nationalisation of assets. Since late eighties, in Marbella, Spain. Married, four children.