He served as Ambassador of the Kingdom of the Netherlands to Ukraine (2013–2017). Earlier, he was the EU Civilian Operations Commander and Director of the Civilian Planning and Conduct Capability, overseeing missions in Kosovo, Georgia, and Afghanistan. He also served as Ambassador of the Netherlands to Serbia and to the Czech Republic.

Kees Klompenhouwer holds a Master’s degree in Economics from Erasmus University Rotterdam and has extensive experience in promoting democratic governance, rule of law, and international cooperation.