FHI congratulates new chairman of MKB-Nederland

Marijke Vuik will be the new chair of MKB-Nederland effective this coming July 1. The hospitality entrepreneur and current chair of Koninklijke Horeca Nederland was unanimously appointed by the General Meeting for a four-year term, upon nomination by the Executive Board. Vuik succeeds Jacco Vonhof, who will step down from the business organization on June 22 after nearly eight years as chair.

With Vuik (1983), MKB-Nederland once again has a driven and authentic entrepreneur at the helm, who combines knowledge and substance with a heart for SMEs and managerial experience, says Managing Director Leendert-Jan Visser on behalf of the appointments committee. 'Marijke has proven she can lead a large association. In her own company, she has weathered all the major crises of recent years and knows better than anyone what such a situation demands of entrepreneurs. She has broad interests and is intrinsically motivated to make the Netherlands a better place through entrepreneurship.'‘

Marijke Vuik calls it a 'tremendous honor' to lead MKB-Nederland and is looking forward to her new role. 'I really want to make a difference for entrepreneurs across the broad SME sector.' According to her, Jacco Vonhof has laid a stable foundation over the past few years upon which she can build. 'He has put SMEs back on the map. Politicians are well aware of the importance of SMEs for our economy and prosperity, as well as entrepreneurship as a solution to major challenges. It is now time to capitalize on this with concrete results that genuinely make the entrepreneurial climate and employership in the SME sector more attractive again.'‘

The new chair of MKB-Nederland grew up in Zutphen. She moved to Delft to study Industrial Design at the TU. Even before obtaining her bachelor's degree, she started her first hospitality business in Delft at the age of 22, and more followed later. Upon taking office, she will step back from her business. She has served on the Delft municipal council and has been chair of Koninklijke Horeca Nederland since March 2023. In that capacity, she was already a member of the Executive Board of MKB-Nederland and a member of the SER.