Gerrit Zalm

Who is Gerrit Zalm?

Gerrit Zalm is a retired Dutch politician of the People's Party for Freedom and Democracy. He served as Minister of Finance and Deputy Prime Minister from May 27, 2003 until February 22, 2007 in the Cabinets Balkenende II and III. He served earlier as Minister of Finance in the Cabinets Kok I and II from August 22, 1994 until July 22, 2002. After his term as Minister of Finance ended in 2002 he was selected by the People's Party for Freedom and Democracy to succeed retiring Party leader and Parliamentary leader in House of Representatives Hans Dijkstal. He served in this position for a full year for before becoming Minister of Finance and Deputy Prime Minister in the Cabinet Balkenende II.

He was the longest serving Minister of Finance in the History of the Netherlands and has been responsible for numerous reforms of the Economy of the Netherlands. He retired from politics after the completion of the term of the Cabinet Balkenende III.

On February 28, 2009 he was named as the CEO of the newly government owned bank ABN AMRO.