Jaap de Hoop Scheffer

Jakob Gijsbert "Jaap" de Hoop Scheffer ([ˈjaːb də ˈɦoːp ˈsxɛfər]  ( listen);^[1] born 3 April 1948) is a retired Dutch politician and diplomat. He is a member of the Christian Democratic Appeal (CDA). He served as the 11th Secretary General of NATO from 5 January 2004 until 1 August 2009.^[2]

His Excellency Jaap de Hoop Scheffer
11th Secretary General of NATO
In office 1 January 2004 – 1 August 2009
Preceded by	Alessandro Minuto-Rizzo (Acting)
Succeeded by	Anders Fogh Rasmussen
Minister of Foreign Affairs
In office 22 July 2002 – 3 December 2003
Prime Minister	Jan Peter Balkenende
Preceded by	Jozias van Aartsen
Succeeded by	Ben Bot
Leader of the Christian Democratic Appeal
In office 27 March 1997 – 1 October 2001
Preceded by	Enneüs Heerma
Succeeded by	Jan Peter Balkenende
Leader of the Christian Democratic Appeal in the House of Representatives
In office 27 March 1997 – 1 October 2001
Preceded by	Enneüs Heerma
Succeeded by	Jan Peter Balkenende
Member of the House of Representatives
In office 3 June 1986 – 23 May 2002
Personal details
Born	Jakob Gijsbert de Hoop Scheffer (1948-04-03) 3 April 1948 (age 77) Amsterdam, Netherlands
Political party	Democrats 66 (Before 1982) Christian Democratic Appeal (1982–present)
Spouse(s)	Jeannine de Hoop Scheffer
Children	2
Alma mater	Leiden University

Early career

De Hoop Scheffer studied law at Leiden University.

After completing military service in the air force, where he is a reserve officer, he worked for the Ministry of Foreign Affairs from 1976 to 1986.

During this time, he spent the first two years at the Dutch embassy in Ghana.

He then served at the Dutch delegation to NATO headquarters in Brussels until 1980.

Political career

Although he was already a member of the Democratic 66 party, he joined the Christian Democratic Appeal in 1982. In the 1986 elections, he was elected to the Eerste Kamer (the upper house of Parliament) and became the spokesperson for foreign policy for his party.

From 1997 to 2001, he was the president of the CDA group in the Eerste Kamer while the party was in opposition. This position made him the leader of the party.

NATO

De Hoop Scheffer was the 11th Secretary General of NATO from 5 January 2004 to 31 July 2009, succeeding Lord Robertson, who held the position since 1999. His deputy was the Italian ambassador Claudio Bisogniero.^[3]