page_title: Neelie Kroes
section_title: Career before politics
hierarchical_section_title: Neelie Kroes / Career before politics
caption_attribution_description: Nederlands: Collectie / Archief&#160;: Fotocollectie Anefo Reportage / Serie&#160;: [ onbekend ] Beschrijving&#160;: Regeringsverklaring Kabinet Lubbers II&#160;; minister Smit Kroes , close Datum&#160;: 30 juli 1986 Trefwoorden&#160;: kabinetten, ministers, politiek Persoonsnaam&#160;: Smit-Kroes, Neelie Fotograaf&#160;: Croes, Rob C. / Anefo Auteursrechthebbende&#160;: Nationaal Archief Materiaalsoort&#160;: Dia (kleur) Nummer archiefinventaris&#160;: bekijk toegang 2.24.01.06 Bestanddeelnummer&#160;: 253-8980
context_page_description: Neelie Kroes is a retired Dutch politician of the People's Party for Freedom and Democracy and businessperson who served as European Commissioner from 22 November 2004 until 1 November 2014.
  Kroes studied Economics at the Rotterdam School of Economics obtaining a Master of Economics degree. Kroes worked as a researcher at her alma mater from September 1963 until April 1968 and as a corporate director for a transport company in Delft from April 1968 until August 1971 and for the chamber of commerce of Rotterdam from July 1969 until August 1971. Kroes became a Member of the House of Representatives shortly after the election of 1971 on 3 August 1971 and served as a frontbencher and spokesperson for Transport and Education. After the election of 1977 Kroes was appointed as State Secretary for Transport and Water Management in the Cabinet Van Agt–Wiegel taking office on 28 December 1977. After the election of 1981 Kroes returned to the House of Representatives on 25 August 1981 and again served as a frontbencher and spokesperson for Transport.
context_section_description: Neelie Kroes was born on 19 July 1941 in Rotterdam, Netherlands. Her father owned the transport company Zwatra.
  Kroes attended a Protestant grammar school in Rotterdam. She continued to a Protestant high school. In 1958 she went to study economics at the Erasmus University in Rotterdam. In 1961, Kroes was praeses of the R.V.S.V. (the largest Rotterdam sorority). She was also elected as a member of the University Council. After obtaining a Bachelor of Economics and later a Master of Economics degree in 1965, she became a research fellow at the economic faculty at that university. During this period Kroes was involved in the women's organisation within the VVD. In this period she also was member of the board of heavy transporting company "ZwaTra", the company of her father.
caption: Minister Neelie Kroes in the House of Representatives on 30 July 1986.
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