Derk Oldenburg joins FIPRA as Special Advisor

Derk Oldenburg joined FIPRA as a Special Advisor for digital, telecoms, transport and institutional EU affairs.

Derk was formerly Managing Director Public Policy at Liberty Global, a leading international video, broadband and communication company.

Prior to Liberty, Global Derk was a diplomat in the Netherland’s Foreign Service. Many of his functions were in EU affairs, as assistant to the DG for Political Affairs, Secretary of the EU coordination committee in the Hague, coordinator of the EU presidency 2004 and as deputy ambassador to Germany and deputy permanent representative to the EU. 

“I am really enthusiastic to work with FIPRA in these exciting times, full of creative disruption,” Derk said. “Covid19 has given the digitisation of our society and economy a big push. The European Green Deal and the digital strategy will create opportunities for fundamental policy changes and new business models.”

“Many policy makers and entrepreneurs will increasingly depend on digital innovation. The strive for strategic autonomy will be high on the agenda in the coming years.”

“If we want to make optimal use of European capabilities in this field, players in the public and private sector must work together. Building bridges between the two and getting things done has been a big part of my previous experience.”

As representative in the Committee of Permanent Representatives (Coreper I), Derk dealt with a wide range of legislative issues, for agriculture and fisheries to energy, climate, transport and telecommunications. He was among those responsible for the adoption of legislation on EU-wide patent protection. 

Derk graduated from the University of Utrecht in 1983 with a Master degree in Scandinavian Languages and minor degree in Law. After his university years, he served as an officer in the Netherlands Marine Corps and worked for the World Food Programme in Sudan. 

Apart from his native Dutch, Derk speaks Danish, French, English and German.