A port metropolis
Rotterdam, the port metropolis par excellence and multicultural, faced with the challenges of transitions.
It was a great pleasure to welcome the members of the BEST network to Rotterdam in September 2025 for their study seminar. Exchanges like these are of great value to us as city administrators, offering an opportunity to share experiences, compare governance models and learn from one another in addressing the growing complexity of metropolitan life.
Rotterdam is a city that constantly reinvents itself, shaped by its port, driven by innovation, and defined by resilience. Our major urban challenges are closely interlinked: the transition towards a sustainable and inclusive economy, the adaptation to climate change, and the creation of a city where every citizen can participate and thrive. Addressing these tasks requires not only strong policy direction but also trust and collaboration between politics and administration.
As Municipal Secretary, my role is to ensure that the city administration delivers effectively on the ambitions of the elected council and the municipal executive board, while safeguarding professionalism, integrity, and long-term perspective. Balancing political priorities with administrative continuity is at the heart of our daily work and an essential condition for tackling the major transitions ahead.
I am delighted that the BEST network chose Rotterdam as a place to exchange ideas and practices. The discussions we had on governance, metropolitan leadership, and the role of senior civil servants have been insightful and inspiring. It was our pleasure sharing experiences on external relationships, social and urban development and our port policy and practices. We hope the program has raised new insights and ideas with the delegation. I am confident that our shared reflections will continue to strengthen the bridges between French and Dutch cities.
Gerben Wigmans
Municipal Secretary, City of Rotterdam
PROGRAM
Rotterdam
History of the city
> Paul van de Laar, historian at the Erasmus School of history, culture and communication.
Rotterdam today
Assets, challenges and objectives, current major projects of the City of Rotterdam.
> Gerben Wigmans, General Director of the City of Rotterdam.
International relations
> Unal Sezisli, city councillor for international relations.
Politico-administrative system and governance
Relationship between the political sphere and administration and between infra-territorial levels. Finance, taxation and municipal budget. Municipal enterprises.
Regional cooperations
With the neighbouring municipalities, the metropolitan region of Rotterdam-The Hague (MRDH), the province of South Holland, ‘The G4’ (Amsterdam, Rotterdam, The Hague and Utrecht) and the State.
> Jeroen Oppelaar and Frank Heijboer, senior councillors of the municipal administration.
Public policies
Challenges and policies for social cohesion
In a socially heterogeneous and multicultural city, social policy instruments and lessons learned.
> Yasmine Bouchrit, political advisor and member of the GroenLinks Council.
> Mahesvari Autar, communication project manager on poverty and debt.
> Timo Boelsums, co-director of the municipal health service of the Rotterdam-Rijnmond Region.
Structuring of urban planning
Complex processes operating at different scales, urban planning was structured in 2023 to clarify the roles and responsibilities of the different actors, including citizens.
Historical context and current challenges of urban development
Consideration of societal and environmental challenges that impact urban development. New policies and practices in the context of urban planning.
> Liese Vonk, Director of Urban Space, Housing and Environment at the City of Rotterdam.
> Mattijs van Essuven, chief urban planner of the City of Rotterdam.
The great urban development project of Rijnhaven
Transformation of an old transhipment port involving the drainage of part of the Rijnhaven port basin to accommodate a new district.
> Lucas Vroom, project manager at the City of Rotterdam.
Site visit
> Corjan Gebraad, strategic advisor at the urban management department of the City of Rotterdam.
The port
Rotterdam City shareholder
The City of Rotterdam is a shareholder in different companies in various sectors. Presentation of the general strategy and in particular its role as shareholder within the Port of Rotterdam, of which it owns 71% of the shares.
> Karin Boom-Vos, Senior Councillor for Participations of the City of Rotterdam.
> Sandor Hendriks, team leader treasury and participations
The Port of Rotterdam: connecting the world, building tomorrow’s sustainable port
Europe’s leading maritime port, Rotterdam combines multimodal transport, powerful port economy and commitment to energy transition. Faced with the recent decline in traffic, congestion and environmental pressure, the port must innovate to adapt, strengthen its competitiveness and accelerate its decarbonization.
> Karin Michels, responsible for environmental policy at the Port of Rotterdam.
> Sandor Hendriks, team leader treasury and participations.
And also
Architectural (walking) tour of the center of Rotterdam.
> Emiel Arends, senior urban planner, urban designer, skyscraper expert.
Photos : DR