Maria van der Hoeven (Netherlands) will succeed Nobuo Tanaka as IEA Executive Director beginning 1 September 2011.
11 March 2011: The International Energy Agency (IEA) Governing Board has selected Maria van der Hoeven (Netherlands) to succeed Nobuo Tanaka as IEA Executive Director, beginning 1 September 2011.
Van der Hoeven served as Minister of Economic Affairs of the Netherlands from February 2007 until October 2010, and previously as Minister of Education, Culture and Science from 2002 to 2007. During both terms as Minister, she presided as Deputy Chair of the Netherlands Innovation Platform. As Minister of Economic Affairs, energy policy was one of her core responsibilities. [IEA Press Release]