Leiden University Names Ferd Grapperhaus as New Chair of Board of Governors

The Board of Governors of Leiden University is pleased to announce that the outgoing Minister of Education, Culture and Science, Robbert Dijkgraaf, has appointed Professor F.B.J. (Ferd) Grapperhaus as the new Chair of the Board of Governors.

Ferd Grapperhaus’ four-year tenure starts at 1 September 2024. He succeeds Drs A.F. (Ab) van der Touw, who has been an esteemed and successful Chair of the Board of Governors since 1 September 2016.

With the arrival of Ferd Grapperhaus, Leiden University’s Board of Governors once again gains an experienced and knowledgeable Chair. Ferd Grapperhaus has been Managing Partner at Deloitte Legal since 2023. Earlier in his career, he worked as a lawyer, among others at Allen & Overy, where he also chaired the board. From 2005 to 2015, Grapperhaus was a Crown-appointed Member of the Economic and Social Council, and between October 2017 and January 2022 he served as Minister of Justice and Security in the Rutte III cabinet.

Academic teaching and research
Ferd Grapperhaus has also made his mark academically. He studied and obtained his PhD at the Law Faculty of the University of Amsterdam, and was a professor at Maastricht University from 2005 to 2017. Since 2023, he has been Professor of Rule of Law, Society and Legal Practice at Erasmus University Rotterdam, closely linked to academic teaching and research. Grapperhaus also holds supervisory roles at the Red Cross Hospital and Cordaid.

Ferd Grapperhaus on his appointment: ‘It remains essential to guarantee the availability and accessibility of academic education, as well as the high standard of scientific research at Dutch universities. We must safeguard the centuries-long tradition of Leiden University, and I am grateful that I will be able to contribute to this effort in my new position.’