Ron Kolkman

Ron Kolkman is Chief Information Officer (CIO) at Rijkswaterstaat, where he leads the organization’s digital transformation. He defines the strategic direction of digitalization and translates it into practical innovations that strengthen a safe, accessible, and liveable Netherlands.

With a strong belief in the power of data, technology, and collaboration, Ron works on building a future‑proof digital government. He studied Business Economics at the University of Amsterdam and held several senior leadership roles in the public sector, including at the Ministry of Defence, where he gained extensive experience aligning technological innovation with operational needs in complex environments.

Beyond Rijkswaterstaat, Ron contributes to the digital infrastructure of the Netherlands through various advisory and governance roles, including as member of the Dutch Digitalisation Council and the Construction Digitalisation Council. He is also part of the Advisory Board of the Geological Survey of the Netherlands and serves as Sustainability Ambassador for ICT within the national government.

Ron chairs the Government Cloud Implementation Board and the Cloud Acceleration Team within the Dutch Digitalisation Strategy, where he drives the harmonization, security, and sustainability of government-wide cloud adoption. He is known for combining strategic vision, technological expertise, and results‑oriented leadership, consistently translating digital progress into societal value.