Our organisation
Being flexible means our organisation can respond quickly to new duties and societal developments. Our workforce of over 4,500 experienced staff can incorporate new implementing tasks into our organisation and adapt, where necessary, to ensure the best possible service.
The Board accounts for the SVB’s performance to the Minister of Social Affairs and Employment and the Minister of Health, Welfare and Sport. Meet the members of the Board.
Diana Starmans
Diana Starmans (1970) is a member of the Board of Directors. ‘Providing income security is a fundamental social duty. The SVB ensures this is done by providing reliable services to its 5.7 million clients, and by looking beyond the letter of the law to the spirit and intent of the law.’
Before joining the SVB, Diana was Interim Municipal Secretary at the municipality of Groningen and Director of the Management Advice and Strategy Department/Deputy Municipal Secretary at the municipality of Amsterdam. She studied Public Administration at Erasmus University Rotterdam.
Additional positions:
- Chair of the Supervisory Board of the Centre for Youth and Family (Centrum voor Jeugd en Gezin) in Capelle aan den IJssel
- Board Member of the Dutch Pension Register Foundation (Stichting Pensioenregister)
- Chair of the Executive Committee of the National Benchmark Group (RBB)
- Member of the Steering Committee for the State of Public Service Delivery in the Netherlands
Hellen van Dongen
Before joining the SVB, Hellen was Director-General for Rural Areas and Nitrogen at the Ministry of Agriculture, Nature and Food Quality. Prior to that, she was Deputy Secretary-General at the Ministry of Social Affairs and Employment.
Additional positions:
- Member of the Supervisory Board of Invest International
Edward John Paulina (from 1 September 2025)
Edward John Paulina is a member of the Board of Directors. ‘The SVB is known for being a reliable and dynamic public service provider that aims to safeguard millions of people’s social and economic security using straightforward methods. Along with all my inspired co-workers, I want to spend the next several years simplifying and reinforcing the services the SVB provides.’
Before joining the SVB, Edward John was Director of Public Health at the Public Health Service (GGD) for the Northern Region of the Netherlands and Programme Manager for Youth System Reforms at the Ministry of Justice and Security.
Additional positions:
- Chair of the National Executive Committee on Information Provision
- Chair of the Supervisory Board of Urban Myth
Astrid Zwiers (until 31 August 2025)
Chief Information Officer
Chief Information Office (CIO)
Our implementing tasks – for example, paying AOW pensions automatically – demand a solid and reliable IT infrastructure. The CIO Office ensures that our systems can easily be adapted to accommodate changes and new tasks.
Jacqueline Kuyvenhoven (until 31 August 2025)
Chief Change Officer
Chief Change Officer (CCO)
The SVB ensures that its clients get what they are entitled to. To perform this duty properly, we have to continually adapt to changes in society. The Chief Change Officer advises on innovations in our organisation and ensures the necessary adaptations.
Jan van der Vliet and Anneke Veldman-Kalma – Directors of DSV
Directors of SVB Client Service Operations
Client Service Operations (DSV)
We contribute to the social and economic security of millions of clients who receive benefits under the Dutch AOW old-age pension, child benefit and other schemes. We provide support to clients who have questions, help them with their applications and claims, and make payments. We do this digitally wherever possible, and in person wherever necessary.
Marleen Hofstede
Director of Care and Welfare Operations
Care and Welfare Operations (DZW)
People requiring care can apply for a personal care budget (PGB). While we provide information and advice, and pay their expense claims and care providers’ invoices, they stay in charge of their care. We always look for suitable solutions for each individual client.
Petra Fassaert
IT Director
IT
Our IT systems have to be secure and operate properly. Working to ensure this is something we do on a daily basis. We also work on developing new elements, such as forms and applications. IT plays a key role in all the services we provide.
Onno Beljaars
Director of Business Operations
Business Operations
Our staff are essential in providing a good service to our clients. They can be relied upon to help anyone who is entitled to benefits under the schemes administered by the SVB. Business Operations plays an important role in ensuring our staff members’ health, training and job satisfaction.
Willem Zandbergen
Director of Strategy, Law and Communications
Strategy, Law and Communications
As well as maintaining close contacts with the Dutch government, we do research, set policy and devise SVB strategies, both locally and internationally, and in all our interactions work to create awareness of who we are.
Ronald van Rijswijk
Director of the Audit Department
Audit Department
We want to offer the best possible service to all our clients. We regularly conduct client surveys to find out how we can improve our service. We also check whether laws and duties are being complied with and performed properly.
The Advisory Board advises the Board of Directors on decisions on matters of strategic importance to the organisation. It can provide advice, either on request or on its own initiative, and acts as a sounding board for the Board of Directors.
The Advisory Board is composed of the following members:
- Mr R. Paas (chair)
- Ms R. van den Broek (member)
- Ms M. Vogt-Claessens (member)
- Ms S.M.J.G. Gesthuizen (member)
- Ms K. Yucel (member)
The Audit Committee advises the Board of Directors, both on request and on its own initiative. It helps safeguard the financial health of the organisation. In addition, it checks whether financial and annual reports are clear and reliable, and whether the most important processes are being properly monitored.
The Audit Committee also advises the organisation on planning and control in what we refer to as the planning and control cycle. Furthermore, it examines the audit policy rules and monitors risks, including potential problems, how the organisation should deal with those problems, and what this will achieve.
Composition of the Audit Committee:
- Rob Kerstens (chair)
- John Bendermacher (member)
The SVB Client Council is an independent advisory body made up of SVB clients and representatives of relevant interest groups . It makes recommendations and gives advice to our Board of Directors both on its own initiative and on request. For example, it can examine whether rules are clear to clients, and whether the information we give is getting through to the right people.
As a discussion partner for the Board of Directors, the SVB Client Council helps to improve the quality of our services by, for example, making suggestions and passing on clients’ feedback and complaints. The SVB Client Council meets 4 to 6 times a year, and also has working groups with rotating members that meet several times a year to prepare recommendations.
The SVB Client Council is not responsible for providing assistance or mediation in the event of complaints. If you have a complaint: