Berend Jan Udink facts for kids

Quick facts for kids His Excellency Berend Jan Udink
Berend Jan Udink in 1969
Minister of Transport, Public Works and Water Management of the Netherlands
In office 21 July 1972 – 11 May 1973
Prime Minister	Barend Biesheuvel
Preceded by	Willem Drees, Jr.
Succeeded by	Tjerk Westerterp
Minister of Housing and Spatial Planning of the Netherlands
In office 6 July 1971 – 11 May 1973
Prime Minister	Barend Biesheuvel
Preceded by	Wim Schut
Succeeded by	Hans Gruijters
Parliamentary leader of the Christian Historical Union in the House of Representatives of the Netherlands
In office 11 May 1971 – 6 July 1971
Preceded by	Jur Mellema
Succeeded by	Roelof Kruisinga
Member of the House of Representatives of the Netherlands
In office 11 May 1971 – 6 July 1971
Leader of the Christian Historical Union
In office 20 June 1970 – 6 July 1971
Preceded by	Jur Mellema
Succeeded by	Arnold Tilanus
Minister for Development Cooperation of the Netherlands
In office 5 April 1967 – 6 July 1971
Prime Minister	Piet de Jong
Preceded by	Theo Bot
Succeeded by	Kees Boertien
Personal details
Born	Berend Jan Udink (1926-02-12)12 February 1926 Deventer, Netherlands
Died	24 May 2016(2016-05-24) (aged 90) Goedereede, Netherlands
Political party	Christian Democratic Appeal (from 1980)
Other political affiliations	Christian Historical Union (until 1980)
Spouse	Anneke van Drumpt ​ (m. 1949)​
Children	3 children
Residences	Goedereede, Netherlands
Alma mater	Erasmus University Rotterdam (Bachelor of Economics, Master of Economics) University of Lausanne (Master of Financial Economics)
Occupation	Politician Civil servant Economist Corporate director Academic

Berend Jan "Bé" Udink (born February 12, 1926 – died May 24, 2016) was an important Dutch politician. He held several big jobs in the government. He was also a leader in business after his political career.

What Did Berend Jan Udink Do?

Berend Jan Udink, often called Bé, was born in Deventer, Netherlands. He studied economics at Erasmus University Rotterdam and the University of Lausanne. This helped him understand how countries and businesses work.

Early Steps in Politics

Udink started his political journey in 1965. He was chosen to be part of the Rijnmondraad. This was a local council that represented the Rijnmond area. It was his first experience in government.

Becoming a Minister

Just two years later, in 1967, Udink became a national minister. He was named the Minister for Development Cooperation. In this role, he helped manage how the Netherlands supported other countries. He worked to improve life in developing nations. He held this job until 1971.

After that, in 1971, he took on another important role. He became the Minister of Transport, Public Works and Water Management. This meant he was in charge of things like roads, canals, and water management in the Netherlands. He served in this position until 1973.

Leading a Political Party

Before becoming Minister of Transport, Udink also led his political party. He was the leader of the Christian Historical Union from 1970 to 1971. He also served as a Member of the House of Representatives. This is like being a member of parliament.

Life After Politics

Berend Jan Udink's political career ended in 1973. But he didn't stop working. He moved into the business world. From 1973 to 1978, he was on the Board of Directors for a Dutch gas and electricity company. He later became its President, leading the company from 1978 to 1980.

Udink passed away on May 24, 2016, at the age of 90. He is remembered for his many years of public service and his work in both government and business.