News — Jan 15, 2026

The Supervisory Board of the Stedelijk Museum Amsterdam welcomes two new members: Gunay Uslu and Ron Soonieus. With their appointments, the Board is strengthened by broad expertise in governance, public affairs, and culture. Both members bring extensive experience in governance, strategy, and supervision, thereby making a valuable contribution to the museum’s continued development and positioning.

Diederick Bulstra Photography.

GUNAY USLU
Gunay Uslu is CEO and co-founder of Corendon and has extensive experience in both the private sector and the public and cultural domains. From 2022 until the end of 2023, she served as State Secretary for Culture and Media. In that role, she was strongly committed to strengthening the cultural sector, among other things through additional structural funding and the promotion of fair pay. Uslu is a cultural studies scholar and holds a PhD in heritage policy. Previously, she worked as a lecturer, researcher, and curator and held various board and advisory positions within the cultural field. She brings a combination of entrepreneurship, academic depth, knowledge of arts policy, and strong engagement with culture and social issues.

Gunay Uslu: “The Stedelijk has a world-renowned collection and is at the same time quintessentially Amsterdam. It is a forward-looking museum that is firmly rooted in the capital, with a major national and international role. Openness, accessibility, and engaging young people are, in my view, the key concepts to ensure that the Stedelijk Museum continues to grow and flourish in the years ahead. I very much look forward to contributing to this as an active member of the Supervisory Board.” 

RON SOONIEUS
Ron Soonieus has more than three decades of experience in governance, supervision, and strategic advisory roles within both for-profit and non-profit organizations. He is a Senior Advisor at Boston Consulting Group, where he advises executives and supervisory board members internationally on complex strategic, organizational, and governance issues. In addition, he is affiliated with INSEAD as a Director in Residence, focusing on the effectiveness of governance and supervision and on knowledge development in an academic context. Soonieus is also co-founder and chair of the think tank Radix, which operates at the intersection of society, politics, and business. His expertise lies in the evolving interaction between governance, organizations, and society, complemented by broad experience in supervisory roles within the cultural and social sectors.

Ron Soonieus: “The Stedelijk plays a unique role in the public debate. Art can bridge differences and provide a shared language, but it can also raise questions and sharpen perspectives in a time of social change. From the Supervisory Board, I am pleased to contribute to a context in which the museum can continue to fulfill that role sustainably.”  

Members of the Supervisory Board are appointed by the Municipality of Amsterdam (represented by its Executive Board of Mayor and Aldermen) on the nomination of the Supervisory Board and after consultation with the museum’s management. Recruitment for Supervisory Board members is conducted publicly. 

The Supervisory Board of the Stedelijk consists of Annelies van der Pauw (Chair), Maarten Doorman (Chair of the Remuneration and Nomination Committee), Wouter Han, and Jos van Rooijen (Chair of the Audit Committee); Ron Soonieus took up his position on 18 December 2025, and Gunay Uslu will join as of 1 April 2026.