The board of the Netherlands Court of Audit decided on September 23 to appoint Mark (drs. M.J.P.) Smolenaars as acting secretary of the Netherlands Court of Audit as of October 15, 2025. He succeeds Cornelis (drs. C.) van der Werf, who will leave the Court of Audit on November 15, 2025. This appointment will remain in effect until a definitive successor is appointed.
The administrative leadership of the Netherlands Court of Audit is in the hands of the board, which consists of Pieter (drs. P.J.) Duisenberg (president), Ewout (drs. E.) Irrgang (member), and Barbara (drs. MiF H.M.B.) Joziasse (member). The secretary is the highest official of this High College of State and leads the employees of the Court of Audit.
Smolenaars will temporarily fulfill the role of acting secretary until at least mid-2026. During this period, he will focus on programming relevant research, the added value of the Court of Audit for the new House of Representatives and the new government, and the well-being of the employees.
Smolenaars has been working at the Netherlands Court of Audit since 2000 in various roles, including as research director since 2017 and since 2021 also as deputy secretary.
With the appointment of Smolenaars as acting secretary, the role of deputy secretary will be assumed by Joost (mr. drs. J.F.A) van Hofwegen. Van Hofwegen is also working as research director of the Finance and Institutional directorate.
