Mr. Landheer is a macroeconomist with more than 30 years of experience in senior public leadership, economic policy and international co-operation. Throughout his career he has held senior leadership positions across the Dutch Government, working at the intersection of macroeconomic policy, international trade, industrial policy, agriculture and sustainable economic growth. His experience spans many of the OECD’s core policy areas, including productivity, innovation, trade, food systems, sustainability and economic resilience.
Mr. Landheer holds a degree in (macro) Economics, with a specialisation in International Trade and Macroeconomic Policy. His academic training laid the foundation for a career spanning economic policy, industrial competitiveness, international trade and food systems, always from a broad macroeconomic perspective. His career has been guided by a commitment to open markets, sound public institutions and international co-operation as key drivers of sustainable prosperity.
He began his career at the Ministry of Transport, Public Works and Water Management in 1992, where he worked on aviation policy and market regulation. During this period, he contributed to the privatisation of Schiphol Airport, the KLM-Air France merger and the liberalisation of international aviation markets. He also completed a professional placement at the Embassy of the Kingdom of the Netherlands in Washington, D.C.
In 2006, Mr. Landheer joined the Ministry of Economic Affairs, where he held several senior management positions, including Deputy Director for Energy and Sustainability and Director for Top Sectors and Industrial Policy. He played a leading role in shaping Dutch industrial, innovation and energy policy and strengthening the competitiveness of the Dutch economy.
From 2015 to 2019, Mr. Landheer served as Deputy Director-General for Foreign Economic Relations at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, where he was responsible for the Netherlands’ international trade agenda and economic diplomacy.
Since 2019, Mr. Landheer has served as Director for European, International and Agroeconomic Policy at the Ministry of Agriculture, Fisheries, Food Security and Nature. He has also served as Deputy Director-General and for one year as Acting Director-General. His responsibilities have included European agricultural policy, food security, international affairs, innovation and co-operation with organisations including the OECD, the European Union and the FAO.
Alongside his government career, Mr. Landheer has served as Chair of the Royal Netherlands Cricket Association (KNCB). During his tenure, participation increased by more than 25%, the men’s national team qualified for three ICC World Cups, and the women’s national team qualified for the ICC Women’s T20 World Cup for the first time.
In 2026, Mr. Landheer was awarded the Netherlands British Chamber of Commerce (NBCC) Special Award for his contribution to strengthening economic relations between the Netherlands and the United Kingdom.
As Permanent Representative to the OECD, Mr. Landheer draws on his broad experience in macroeconomic policy, international trade, public leadership and multilateral co-operation to contribute to the Organisation’s work on building stronger, more sustainable and more inclusive economies.
Mr. Landheer is married to Marjolein Landheer-Regouw and they have three children.