Cybersecurity has become a central pillar of national resilience across Europe, and the Netherlands is no exception. From national ministries to municipalities and public agencies, a growing network of cybersecurity leaders is responsible for protecting critical services, sensitive data, and democratic processes. These professionals are shaping how the Dutch government approaches digital risk in an increasingly complex threat landscape.
The government CISOs and security leaders in the Netherlands listed below represent a cross-section of the country’s public cybersecurity ecosystem. Some hold formal CISO roles within ministries or public agencies, while others serve as advisors or interim leaders across municipalities. Together, they demonstrate how security leadership is evolving across the Dutch public sector. For readers exploring the broader cybersecurity landscape, this profile also complements our broader list of CISOs to watch covering influential leaders worldwide.
Justin Broeders — Ministerial CISO, Ministry of Finance
Justin Broeders serves as the ministerial-level Chief Information Security Officer for the Dutch Ministry of Finance. In this role, he oversees the information security system across the ministry, including governance, policy frameworks, monitoring, and advisory functions. His responsibilities extend beyond the ministry’s central departments to major agencies such as the Tax and Customs Administration and other financial services entities within the government.
Broeders also participates in the interdepartmental CISO Council representing the Ministry of Finance at the central government level. Known for his emphasis on aligning people, strategy, and risk management, he focuses on building resilient organizations capable of navigating evolving digital threats. His leadership approach highlights the importance of governance, human factors, and structured risk frameworks in national-level cybersecurity programs.
Jeroen Schipper — Former CISO, Municipality of The Hague / Chief Security Advisor, DEFION Security
Jeroen Schipper spent more than seven years as Chief Information Security Officer for the Municipality of The Hague, one of the Netherlands’ largest municipal governments. During his tenure, he led the city’s digital resilience strategy and managed a Security Expertise Centre with more than 30 professionals. His work centralized cybersecurity expertise under a unified leadership model and significantly improved the municipality’s cyber readiness.
Schipper now serves as Chief Security Advisor at DEFION Security, advising boards and CISOs on strategic cybersecurity challenges. Despite moving into an advisory role, his experience in public sector cybersecurity, spanning decades including earlier work in national defense, continues to influence how governments approach digital resilience and crisis response.
Fleur van Leusden — CISO, Dutch Electoral Council (Kiesraad)
Fleur van Leusden is the Chief Information Security Officer for the Dutch Electoral Council, the body responsible for overseeing transparent and verifiable election processes in the Netherlands. Her work centers on safeguarding the systems and information infrastructure supporting elections, an increasingly critical responsibility as democracies face growing cyber threats.
Beyond her formal role, van Leusden is also known as a security expert and podcast host who engages the wider cybersecurity community. Her voice represents a new generation of public-sector security leaders who combine technical expertise with communication and outreach, essential for maintaining trust in democratic institutions.
Martijn de Hamer — Acting CISO for the Dutch Central Government
Martijn de Hamer currently serves as acting CISO for the Dutch central government, operating within the Ministry of the Interior and Kingdom Relations. In this capacity, he contributes to strengthening cybersecurity governance across the national government infrastructure.
His work reflects the broader effort by the Dutch government to coordinate cybersecurity at a national level. Acting CISOs like de Hamer often help maintain continuity and strategic oversight while long-term security programs evolve across ministries and government agencies.
Torsten Noack — CISO, Policy Department of Finance
Torsten Noack works as Chief Information Security Officer for the policy department within the Ministry of Finance. His mission centers on protecting government systems and data while ensuring that security programs align with broader governmental policy objectives.
Known for his commitment to both security and public service, Noack emphasizes the human side of cybersecurity, ensuring teams collaborate effectively and remain motivated in the face of complex digital threats. His leadership highlights the importance of balancing technological controls with culture and awareness across government organizations.
Roeland Reijers — Concern CISO, Ministry of Education, Culture and Science
Roeland Reijers brings deep experience in information security, privacy, and IT architecture to his role as Concern CISO for the Ministry of Education, Culture and Science. Prior to joining the ministry, he spent nearly a decade as CISO in the higher education and research sector, building extensive expertise in protecting academic and research infrastructure.
Reijers has also worked as a consultant across financial institutions and government agencies, helping organizations design and execute security strategies. His blend of technical knowledge and policy understanding makes him particularly well suited for securing complex public-sector ecosystems.
Patricia van Schaik — CISO, Medicines Evaluation Board
Patricia van Schaik serves as CISO and Privacy Officer at the Dutch Medicines Evaluation Board. The organization plays a critical role in assessing and approving medicines for public use, making data protection and cybersecurity essential components of its mission.
In addition to overseeing cybersecurity programs, van Schaik’s responsibilities include privacy governance and compliance. Her work demonstrates how modern public-sector CISOs often operate at the intersection of security, regulatory oversight, and data protection.
The Growing Importance of Public-Sector Cybersecurity Leadership
As governments digitize more services, the role of security leadership in the public sector continues to expand. From national ministries to local municipalities, Dutch government CISOs and cybersecurity leaders are responsible for protecting systems that affect millions of citizens every day.
The professionals highlighted here represent only part of a rapidly evolving ecosystem. Their work demonstrates how cybersecurity leadership in the Netherlands is becoming more collaborative, strategic, and integrated across government. As cyber threats grow more sophisticated, these leaders will play an increasingly vital role in safeguarding public trust and digital infrastructure.