The Royal Federation of Dutch Swimming (KNZB) has announced that Aschwin Lankwarden will be taking over as General Manager of the organization as of January 1, 2019. Lankwarden replaces outgoing Jan Kossen, who announced his departure back in January of this year.
In recent history, Lankwarden served as Regional Manager at Sportfondsen Nederland, a private company that operates over 550 facilities, including swimming pools, sports halls and ice rinks. He then became director of Sportbedrijf Deventer, a sports promotion company, more than eleven years ago. The new Technical Director was also a member of the KNZB Board from November 2014 through October 1st of this year.
Says 48-year-old Lankwarden of his new role, “With great pleasure, I have been working for more than eleven years at Sportbedrijf Deventer. Thanks to innovative products and new concepts in the field of sustainability, sport and recreation, Sportbedrijf Deventer is now less dependent on subsidies and a modern organization that is at the forefront of the industry. The KNZB is a wonderful sports association. The organization is making a transition and needs to stay healthy, invest in its athletes and swim safety. But in addition, the swimming pool must also serve the independent sportsman and the demand from the market. That requires a changing course in thinking and doing. I can and do want to contribute to that.” (KNZB, Google Translate)
Marius van Zeijts, chairman of the KNZB, stated, ”We thank Jan for his great commitment as director from 2006 to 2018. In those years, the KNZB expanded further into the professional and financially sound organization it is today. The swimming lessons method SuperSpetters, the extension of the Account Management department, the maintenance of the KNZB Swimming Pool in Zeist and the conversion of the circles to the regions have been successful. On the top sports side, under his leadership, a focus program was set up in virtually all disciplines and after the Games in Rio a new structure was set up for top swimming. We are also very happy with the willingness of Aschwin Lankwarden to assume the position of CEO as of 1 January 2019. (KNZB, Google Translate)