Patricia Hoogstraaten

Patricia Hoogstraaten currently serves as the managing director of Vakcentrum beroepsorganisatie van zelfstandige detaillisten, a professional organization for independent retailers and franchisees, since August 1996. In addition to this role, Patricia is an active board member of Centraal Bureau Levensmiddelenhandel, MKB-Nederland, and has held the position of president of Nationale Winkelraad MKB Nederland since April 2013. Patricia has also been a member of the Sociaal Economische Raad (SER) and vice president and board member of Eurocommerce since September 2006. Previously, Patricia served as a board member for Nedvang from March 2010 until December 2020, and was a board member and president of the Steering Committee Europe for Detailhandel Nederland until December 2020. In the past, Patricia held the position of president for Verenigings Professionals Nederland from June 2010 to December 2016. Patricia began an early career in the European Commission from 1990 to 1993, working as Secretary General of the Committee on Commerce and Distribution. Patricia holds a legal affairs and association management degree from Utrecht University, completed between 1977 and 1982.