Van Zeeland has a long-standing track record in the creative sector. In addition to his most recent position as Editor-in-Chief at VPRO, which he held from 2018 until the end of 2024, he has built extensive experience across the field – from festivals to public broadcasting. Earlier in his career, he served as a member of the Supervisory Board of Eurosonic Noorderslag, Head of Internet and Innovation at NTR, and Head of Programming at Tivoli Utrecht. Since 2024, he has also been a member of the Supervisory Board of Koninklijk Theater Carré in Amsterdam. Van Zeeland is also well acquainted with Dutch Design Week (DDW) and Eindhoven. Under his leadership, VPRO produced several programmes about DDW in recent years.
Frank van Es, Chair of the Supervisory Board of DDF, comments on the appointment: “Willem is content-driven and inquisitive by nature, and with his proven strategic insight he turned out to be an excellent candidate for this position. It is therefore with great pleasure and pride that we announce that Willem will take on the role of Director of DDF as of 1 January. We look forward to developing the organisation and its existing projects together.”
Van Zeeland on his new role: “I have been visiting DDW every year since 2006. DDW convincingly demonstrates how design can help us move forward in finding answers to the major challenges of our time – from well-designed products and new approaches to housing, to sustainable social systems. DDF is a future-oriented organisation at the heart of society. I look forward to contributing to its mission in the coming years, together with the team and our partners.”
Until the change of leadership in the new year, Martijn Paulen will remain responsible as Director of DDF. On 1 January, after 12 and a half years, he will officially hand over the role to Van Zeeland. Paulen is enthusiastic about the appointment of his successor: “Over the past year, Willem has been working on a book about major changes in Dutch society. He understands the urgent transitions of our time and the role that design can play within them. I am convinced that, with Willem at the helm, DDF is well positioned for the future. In the coming months, I will gladly hand over the baton – or rather, the best job in the Netherlands – to him,” Paulen says.