Patrick van Mil new Business Director of Stedelijk Museum

22/12/2009

Patrick van Mil (b. 1958) has been appointed Business Director of the Stedelijk Museum in Amsterdam. Currently Business Director of the International Film Festival (IFFR) in Rotterdam, Van Mil will join the Stedelijk Museum on 15 March 2010.

Responsible for the commercial and organisational aspects of the museum’s management, Patrick van Mil will join Ann Goldstein who assumes the post of Director of the Stedelijk Museum on 1 January 2010 and will serve as its General Artistic Director. As a statutory director, Van Mil will report both to the Supervisory Board and to the General Artistic Director.

Van Mil brings over 25 years of distinguished business management experience in leadership roles in the Dutch cultural community. After receiving a Masters Degree in art history at the University of Groningen, Van Mil served as head of presentations at the Zuiderzeemuseum in Enkhuizen, and then as Chief Editor and Presenter of Informative Programs with NRCV television. In 1998, he was appointed head of collections & information at the Filmmuseum in Amsterdam, and in 2000 he assumed the post of senior consultant with Berenschot Public Management, working in the field of Cultural and Media policy. At the same time, he also made regular appearances as the chair of symposiums and as the key speaker in public interviews.

Van Mil worked from 2002 to 2008 at the Netherlands Architecture Institute in Rotterdam, serving as both deputy director and interim-director. His responsibilities included policy and long-term strategy, management and operations, sponsorship acquisition and funding-raising, and the implementation of a number of audience, educational and digitalisation initiatives. In addition, Van Mil occupied various administrative and advisory posts, including serving on the Dutch government advisory council on cultural matters (Raad voor Cultuur). In September 2008 he was appointed Business Director of the International Film Festival Rotterdam, working side-by-side with General Artistic Director Rutger Wolfson on the organisation’s day-to-day operations, where his responsibilities included operational management and internal organisation, financial policy, marketing, fund-raising, and subsidy and sponsorship acquisition.

Alexander Ribbink, chairman of the Stedelijk’s Museum’s Supervisory Board, says: “We are extremely glad to have Patrick van Mil on board. His management experience within various Dutch public-sector cultural institutions, his vision, network and approach will all be welcome at the museum. His familiarity with the museum world and the world of film and television is also an advantage – in addition, Patrick has extensive experience of fund-raising and working with non-Dutch directors."

Ann Goldstein, new Director of the Stedelijk Museum from 1 January 2010, comments on the appointment of Patrick van Mil: “Patrick not only brings a uniquely distinguished history in Dutch cultural institutions, but also a tremendous, personal dedication to the Stedelijk Museum and a shared vision for its artistic mission. I am thrilled to have him as a partner in the management of the institution and greatly look forward to working closely together with Patrick and the museum’s staff and Supervisory Board to reopen the Stedelijk Museum as one of the world’s preeminent museums.”

Patrick van Mil says of his appointment: “For me, this job is a dream come true: to be allowed to manage the museum I’ve loved all my life. I see it as my main task to work with Ann Goldstein to ensure that the Stedelijk Museum performs at the highest international level. All the ingredients are there: a wonderful collection, a splendid new building, an enthusiastic staff and a strong support-base of devoted friends and sponsors. I’ll do all I can to ensure that the new Stedelijk is an inspiring place not just for artists and culturally-minded tourists, but for the whole community.”

Source: press release Stedelijk Museum Amsterdam