Frank van Diepenbeek appointed Dutch inspector-general of mines

Frank van Diepenbeek has been appointed inspector-general of mines and chair of the board at the State Supervision of Mines, the Dutch government has announced. He will take up the role on 1 January 2027, overseeing a regulator responsible for the safety of energy extraction and use of the subsurface, with regard for people and the environment.

The Council of Ministers approved the appointment on a proposal from Interior Minister Pieter Heerma. The regulator operates under the Ministry of Economic Affairs and Climate Policy.

Van Diepenbeek has held several acting positions since 2024, including his current post as director-general for major projects and maintenance at Rijkswaterstaat, the government agency responsible for public works and water management. He previously held senior roles in the transport ministry and led recovery policy for the benefits scandal at the Finance Ministry. Earlier, he was deputy inspector-general at the Human Environment and Transport Inspectorate and held management posts at Customs.

The government says the appointment followed the senior civil service recruitment procedure. The recruitment was handled by the General Administrative Service Directorate, and the vacancy was widely advertised.