New Green Growth Director Appointed at Dutch Ministry of Economic Affairs
The Hague, Friday 11 September 2026
Birgitta Westgren will become the new Director-General for Green Growth on 1 November 2026, steering major public funding and regulatory frameworks for the Netherlands’ green transition.
A Strategic Leadership Shift for the Dutch Energy Transition
The Dutch Council of Ministers has formally approved the proposal of Minister Heerma of the Ministry of the Interior and Kingdom Relations to appoint Birgitta Westgren as the new Director-General for the Realisation of Green Growth (Realisatie Groene Groei) at the Ministry of Economic Affairs and Climate (EZK) [1][2]. Stepping into her new office on 1 November 2026, Westgren brings a wealth of institutional experience to a role that will heavily influence the direction of the region’s climate policies and public funding [1]. She previously served in key positions within EZK, including Director of Climate, Deputy Director-General of Climate and Energy, and Director of the Energy Market and Innovation, before spending several years as Director of Curative Care at the Ministry of Health, Welfare and Sport since 2019 [1].
A Strategic Leadership Shift for the Dutch Energy Transition
Westgren, who studied General Economics at Erasmus University Rotterdam, will lead the Directorate-General for the Realisation of Green Growth (DG RGG) [1]. This directorate-general is tasked with collaborating with partners inside and outside the national government to build a cleaner and economically stronger Netherlands [1]. Its central policy objectives focus on implementing the energy transition through renewable energy generation and carbon dioxide reduction, promoting a circular economy by reducing waste and reusing raw materials, and accelerating industrial sustainability [1]. A key immediate priority under her tenure will be expanding sustainable onshore and offshore energy generation, which is vital to feed the massive electricity demands of the country’s decarbonising industrial base [1].
Decarbonising the Chemelot and Rotterdam-Antwerp Clusters
The appointment comes at a critical juncture for the Benelux chemical clusters, most notably Chemelot in Limburg and the integrated Rotterdam-Antwerp port corridor [GPT]. These industrial hubs are under intense pressure to transition away from fossil-based feedstocks and energy sources toward sustainable chemistry and low-carbon alternatives [GPT]. As Westgren’s directorate-general steers national decarbonisation strategies, her decisions will directly impact how public subsidies and regulatory frameworks are deployed to support the electrification of chemical processes and the deployment of deep-decarbonisation technologies in these massive industrial complexes [1][GPT].
Decarbonising the Chemelot and Rotterdam-Antwerp Clusters
For venture capitalists and climate-tech founders, this regulatory and funding landscape is crucial [GPT]. The transition of these clusters requires billions of euros in capital investment to scale up carbon capture, utilisation, and storage (CCUS) projects, as well as to build out the infrastructure required to transport and store captured carbon dioxide [GPT]. By coordinating industrial sustainability initiatives, DG RGG will play a central role in de-risking these high-capital projects, making them more attractive to private investors who are looking to fund the next generation of industrial climate-tech solutions in northwestern Europe [1][GPT].
Pioneering Circular Materials and Green Hydrogen Applications
A cornerstone of Westgren’s mandate will be the promotion of circular economy materials and the reduction of industrial waste [1]. In the chemical sector, this involves a profound shift from linear ‘take-make-dispose’ models to advanced chemical recycling technologies that can transform plastic waste back into high-quality chemical feedstocks [GPT]. By establishing clear regulatory frameworks and market incentives for circular materials, DG RGG aims to help the Netherlands reduce its reliance on imported virgin fossil resources, thereby fostering a highly resilient, closed-loop domestic economy [1][GPT].
Pioneering Circular Materials and Green Hydrogen Applications
Equally critical to this industrial transformation is the rapid scaling of green hydrogen applications [GPT]. Green hydrogen, produced via water electrolysis using renewable electricity, is widely regarded as the key to decarbonising hard-to-abate sectors such as steel production and high-temperature chemical manufacturing [GPT]. Under Westgren’s leadership, the push for increased offshore and onshore wind and solar capacity will directly feed into the country’s growing electrolyser pipeline, ensuring that industrial clusters have a reliable, domestic supply of green hydrogen to meet their net-zero targets [1][GPT].