Supervisors

The Supervisory Board is the supervisory body of the KNVB. The Supervisory Board oversees the policies of the association’s executive board and the section boards, as well as the general affairs of the KNVB.

The Supervisory Board consists of seven members: three members from amateur football (appointed by the Amateur Football Members’ Council), three members from professional football (appointed by the Professional Football General Assembly), and the association president. The association president also serves as the chair of the Supervisory Board.

Supervisory Board

The Supervisory Board consists of Frank Paauw (Chair), Janneke Brink-Daamen, Elsemieke Havenga-Hillen, Ton Louwers, Clarence Seedorf, Jeroen Slop and Albert van Wijk.

Frank Paauw

Member of the KNVB Supervisory Board (Chair)

Football is a constant theme running through his life. Frank Paauw is still an active player himself, representing the veterans’ team of Graaf Willem II - VAC in The Hague. And in his administrative roles within the police force, the sport has featured in all its facets. During EURO 2000, he was stadium commander in Rotterdam. In addition, Paauw has been the portfolio holder for professional football on behalf of the National Police for 15 years. His role as a security adviser to UEFA (since 2004) has given him a large network within football, with many international contacts.

Frank Paauw is an experienced and versatile administrator. His career is characterised by senior positions within the police force, a keen insight into complex social and security issues, and a profound understanding of the changing dynamics in society.

In Paauw’s view, the KNVB has an important unifying social role to fulfil: investing in youth football, amateur football, futsal, inclusive football and professional football. For women and men. Paauw: “Without grassroots sport, there is no elite sport. I have seen the inside of many clubhouses, which is why I am familiar with the different cultures within football. The KNVB is an association for everyone. I want to safeguard that and build on it further.”

Janneke Brink-Damen

Member of the KNVB Supervisory Board

Janneke Brink-Daamen (1972) studied Business Administration at the University of Groningen. She has a background at ING and Delta Lloyd and has held positions in accountancy and at various hospitals, including as chair of the Executive Board of the Tergooi Medical Centre. She is currently interim chair of the board at Rijnstate Hospital.

Brink-Daamen, who is married and the mother of two daughters, served as a supervisor on the Advisory Board of the University Sports Medical Centre and the Supervisory Board of UtrechtZorg. She is currently vice-chair of the Supervisory Board of full-service accountancy and consultancy firm Crowe Foederer and a member of the Supervisory Board of The Migraine Clinic.

Brink-Daamen: “As a director, it is healthy to look beyond one’s own walls to stay fresh and sharp. I often find myself on the sidelines of the football pitch thanks to my daughters. I also enjoy following professional football. Being able to contribute to the KNVB in this way really appeals to me. With over 1.2 million members, the KNVB is the largest sports association and the largest social network in our country. Because exercise is crucial for health, football can help alleviate the demand for healthcare. Furthermore, football has a huge impact on social cohesion in our society.”

In the sporting arena, Brink-Daamen has been active with sv Candia’66 in her home town of Rhenen. There, she served as a team leader and supporter for various youth teams, and acted as the team photographer. Brink-Daamen has also been a trainer/coach for a youth volleyball team.

Elsemieke Havenga-Hillen

Member of the KNVB Supervisory Board

Elsemieke Havenga (30 September 1959) knows what it takes to reach the very top of sports. At the age of seventeen, Havenga won her first cap for the Netherlands field hockey team, earning a total of 107 caps during her international career. She lifted several major titles including European champion and four times world champion. Havenga also won gold at the Olympic Games in Los Angeles with the Netherlands women’s field hockey team.

After her sporting career, Havenga switched to journalism and worked for a number of media programmes and channels including Studio Sport, Veronica Nieuws Radio and RTL nieuws.

Havenga is currently working as a communications expert and coach. She trains directors and management teams of large companies and other organisations, helping them to improve communication and collaboration and foster behavioural change.

Havenga is the Chair of the Supervisory Board of Plan Nederland, member of the Board of the Spieren voor Spieren foundation and Chair of the Sports Council of the central Dutch town of Laren.

"I am looking forward to making a contribution with this team to the largest sports association in our country," Havenga said upon her appointment as a member of the KNVB Board of Commissioners for Professional Football.

Ton Louwers

Member of the KNVB Supervisory Board

Ton Louwers (20 April 1966) is an experienced CFO with a strong affinity for sport and social engagement. In the business world, he has held positions in the fields of financial management, governance and risk management within complex organisations.

Louwers, who is married, has two daughters and is an active golfer, studied business administration at the universities of Amsterdam and Antwerp. He has held financial and consultancy roles at companies including Berenschot, Thales Nederland, Hertel Holding and Allego. Since March 2025, Louwers has been the CFO of Eteck Energiebedrijven, a developer and operator of sustainable energy systems.

The Breda native is also committed to social causes. He served as a board member at NAC Maatschappelijk for several years and is currently a committee member for a number of courses at Avans University of Applied Sciences in Breda. As a member of the supervisory board of the KNVB, his financial expertise and strategic insight are proving valuable in the further development of Dutch football.

"What particularly appeals to me about the KNVB is the unifying role it plays in society. Football is more than just a sport; it is a social phenomenon that brings people together, develops talent and promotes inclusion. I saw this happening on a regular basis through NAC Maatschappelijk in Breda and the surrounding region. As a member of the supervisory board, I want to contribute to strengthening this role, with an eye on both commercial and social interests."

Clarence Seedorf

Member of the KNVB Supervisory Board

Clarence Seedorf (born 1 April 1976) is one of the most successful footballers in Dutch history. As a player, he represented Ajax, Sampdoria, Real Madrid, AC Milan, Internazionale and Botafogo. He won the league title and the cup on several occasions. He won the Champions League no fewer than four times, with Ajax, AC Milan and Real Madrid. Seedorf made 87 appearances for the Netherlands national team, representing them at four major tournaments. He played in three European Championships (1996, 2000, 2004). With the Oranje, he finished fourth at the 1998 World Cup. In total, he has played in over a thousand matches.

Following his playing career, he obtained his UEFA Pro licence and served as head coach of AC Milan, Shenzhen Xiangxue, Deportivo La Coruña and the Cameroon national team.

Seedorf is deeply committed to social causes, which is particularly valuable in his role as a member of the Supervisory Board. He is heavily involved in youth and charity projects. In his native Suriname, he participates in various social projects and has commissioned the construction of a football stadium. Outside Suriname too, he champions equality and diversity both on and off the pitch.

Off the pitch too, Seedorf has received numerous honours, including the title of Knight in the Order of Orange-Nassau and Knight of the KNVB.

During the General Meeting of Professional Football (AVBV) on 27 June 2023, Clarence Seedorf was appointed as a supervisory director. He is responsible for the football technical portfolio. “As a supervisory director, I can share my knowledge and experience with my colleagues within the KNVB with the aim of making a positive contribution to the game we all love so much.”

Jeroen Slop

Member of the KNVB Supervisory Board

Jeroen Slop (11 July 1961), who lives in Amsterdam, has more than earned his spurs in the world of football. He served as financial director of Ajax for over twenty years, a role he took up in 1998 and stepped down from in mid-2019.

Slop completed his studies in Economics and Accountancy (postgraduate) at the University of Amsterdam. He worked as a chartered accountant at Ernst & Young from 1987 to 1992.

He then moved into the oil industry, where he took up a post as a controller. He started in Amsterdam at Oiltanking Amsterdam until 1994, followed by two years in Singapore at the oil trading company Mabanaft. From 1996 to 1998, Slop worked in Hamburg, Germany, as head of the operational and financial departments at the oil holding company Marquard & Bahls.

In 1998, the Amsterdam native returned to his hometown and joined Ajax as financial director. In addition to this financial portfolio, he was also – temporarily – responsible for departments including match operations, security, supporter relations and IT. Slop was closely involved in Ajax’s stock market flotation and also regularly consulted with UEFA on a range of matters, including the international Financial Fair Play discussions.

Since 1 July 2019, Slop has been a supervisory director at the KNVB.

Albert van Wijk

Member of the KNVB Supervisory Board.

Since June 2011, Albert van Wijk (1962) has been a member of the Netherlands Board of Procurators General, responsible for IT, finance and other operations. Previously, he held several senior positions at various departments of the Netherlands Public Prosecution Service. 

He was also a member of the Board of Directors of the Dutch Association for the Judiciary (Nederlandse Vereniging voor Rechtspraak), Chairman of the Supervisory Board at health organisation PC Zorggroep Rijnmond (now Lily care group), and later chairman of the Supervisory Board of the Randstad reformed comprehensive school..