Henk Rottinghuis

Press Releases

Henk Rottinghuis Secures Five References for Nomination as FEI President and Announces Publications of the Results of his 100-day Listening Programme

20 August 2010

Henk Rottinghuis, who is running for President of the FEI, today announced that he will publish the Analysis of his 100 Day Listening Campaign on his website next week.

Mr Rottinghuis is the only candidate to have conducted a formal survey to ask for views and feedback on the FEI from National Federations and Associate Members. He has also sought the views of a wide range of people within the sport, through face to face meetings and phone calls, all with the aim of making his 100 Day Listening Campaign as comprehensive as possible.

The Analysis will be posted on Mr Rottinghuis’s website – www.henkforfei.org – next week and follows the successful backing Mr Rottinghuis has recently secured from five prominent individuals:

• H.R.H. The Prince Of Orange, Member International Olympic Committee
• Dr. Jan Peter Balkenende, Prime Minister of the Kingdom of the Netherlands
• Anky van Grunsven, Olympic Gold Medallist
• Jeroen Dubbeldam, Olympic Gold Medallist
• B.E.M Wientjes, Chairman VNO-NCW (the Dutch Employers’ Association)

Commenting on the end of the 100 Listening Campaign and his plans to publish his Analysis, Mr Rottinghuis said: “I have been encouraged by the fact that so many people have been willing to share their thoughts with me on how they see the FEI and what they want from the organisation now and in the future. I have not spoken to everyone I would like to, but I intend to keep on listening throughout my campaign. Indeed, if I am elected, one of my primary objectives will be to listen first, then act. This is a sport in which we all share a huge passion and enthusiasm. I think we sometimes lose sight of this and should celebrate it more. In my Analysis, I want to highlight the positive as well as the negative feedback that I have received.”

-ENDS-

Notes to editors:

Henk Th.E.M. Rottinghuis held several senior management positions, culminating in being Division Director European Road Transport of the Royal Nedlloyd Group N.V – studying during this period at Harvard Business School. He joined Pon Holdings as Managing Director in 1993, with responsibility for its import of Volkswagen, Audi and Porsche vehicles into the Netherlands and Poland. Later he became responsible for all import activities in the automotive sector of Pon Holdings. He was appointed CEO and Chairman of the Executive Board in 2002, and additionally fulfilled the position of CFO in 2008 and 2009.

Under his leadership Pon Holdings has become one of the Netherlands’ largest and most successful family run international businesses, with over 12,000 employees worldwide and a turnover of €7.5 billion ($10 billion). Its main markets include the Benelux, France, Germany, UK, Poland, Scandinavia and the USA. Pon Holdings is also active as an importer of Continental Tyres, in the field of equipment and power systems and represents, among others Caterpillar, Linde and MAN.

Rottinghuis was a competitor in national dressage competition from 1970-1981 and has held many Board positions in student equestrian sports, including President of the International Student Concours Hippique of Zuidlaren. He has been a referee and organiser of several international driving competitions, including the World Driving Championships at Apeldoorn and the CAI Breda. He was a Board Member CHIO Rotterdam, which organised the European Show Jumping Championships in 1989.

He has previously been Vice Chairman of the Royal Dutch Equestrian Federation (KNHS) and chaired the merger of its 16 regional equestrian organisations to form the new Royal Dutch Equestrian Federation (KNHS). In 2003 he was elected Equestrian Sportsman of the Year for The Netherlands. Rottinghuis has since become a member of the Committee for the ‘Rider of the Year of the Netherlands’ award.

Rottinghuis is active on several supervisory positions of corporate and cultural institutions. He served as member of the Advisory Committee of ABN-Amro Bank, the Holland Festival and the ‘Stedelijk Museum’ of Amsterdam (Museum of Modern Art). In 2006 he succeeded M. Wim Duisenberg, former president of the European Central Bank, as Chairman of the ‘Rijksmuseum Fonds’, the fund providing finance for the most important museum of the Netherlands.

Rottinghuis is listed as one of the 100 most influential people in The Netherlands.

Keep in touch with Mr. Rottinghuis’ Presidential campaign at www.henkforfei.org.

For further information please contact:

Maarten van der Heijden

Director of Sport and International Affairs

Maarten.van.der.Heijden@knhs.nl