The Netherlands Arbitration Institute (NAI) announces that, with the appointment of Dorothea Godijn on 2 June 2026, the new board of the NAI is now complete.
The new NAI board members
The board is composed as follows:
- Hilde van der Baan, Chair. Hilde is a partner at A&O Shearman in Amsterdam, where she heads the arbitration practice. She advises clients in international and domestic proceedings and regularly acts as an arbitrator.
- Tom Claassens, vice-chair. Tom is a partner at Loyens & Loeff. With over 33 years’ experience, he is recognised as one of the leading Dutch lawyers in international arbitration and litigation.
- Jeroen van Hezewijk, secretary. Jeroen has many years of experience in international legal practice, including over 9 years as a partner at Freshfields. Since March 2025, he has been affiliated with Radboud University as a PhD candidate, where he focuses primarily on European law of damages.
- Bert Scholten, treasurer. As a chartered accountant, Bert was a partner at BDO Audit & Assurance for over 25 years. He was also a member of the Supervisory Board of the Dutch Professional Organisation of Accountants, amongst other roles.
- Dorothea Godijn, member. Dorothea is the board secretary at Rabobank Pension Fund. She previously gained board-level experience at organisations including ProRail, VIVAT and SNS Reaal.
The NAI board members have been appointed for a four-year term. The board is supported by Guido Straub as administrative secretary.
The NAI mission
These appointments strengthen the board at a time when the NAI is focusing on the further development of the organisation and its position in the market. The board will be responsible for the NAI’s policy and strategy, with the emphasis on increasing the NAI’s visibility, further improving the quality of its services and stimulating innovation.
The NAI aims to further consolidate its position as a leading arbitration institute in the Netherlands and, through sustainable and qualitative growth, to develop into one of the leading regional arbitration institutes in Europe, with a clear focus on complex and high-value disputes.
Quote from Tomas Vaal, Director of the NAI:
I am delighted with the appointment of this new board. These are individuals whose expertise complements one another, with a broad background in both academia and legal practice – both as counsel for litigants and in the role of arbitrator – and with sound financial insight, governance experience and business experience. The board members are ideally placed to further shape the NAI’s strategic ambitions for the coming years. Their knowledge and expertise will make a valuable contribution to the further strengthening of the organisation and its services,” said Tomas Vaal, Director of the NAI.
The board looks forward to contributing, in close collaboration with NAI staff and the Advisory Board, to the further realisation of the strategic goals and the strengthening of the NAI’s position, both nationally and internationally.
