Vice-President, European Investment Bank

Before joining the European Investment Bank as Vice-President as of 1st of February 2024, Robert de Groot was the Ambassador, Permanent Representative of the Netherlands to the European Union from May 2017 to January 2024. After joining the Netherlands’ Foreign Service in 1989, he has held various positions with the Foreign Ministry, both in The Hague and abroad.  

From 2011 to 2016 Robert de Groot was Director-General for European Cooperation (also during the Dutch European Presidency in 2016). Furthermore, he was Deputy Director General for Political Affairs from 2008 to 2011, Director of the Security Policy Department from 2005 to 2008 and Head of the Bureau of the Secretary General from 2002 to 2005. Prior to that he was the Foreign Policy Advisor to the Netherlands’ Prime Minister Mr Wim Kok (within the Ministry of General Affairs), from 1998 to 2002.  

Robert de Groot holds a Master’s Degree in Monetary Economics from the Erasmus University in Rotterdam, the Netherlands. 

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