More cycling makes the world a better place
Henk Swarttouw is President of the Brussels-based European Cyclists’ Federation since 2021. Before joining European cycling advocacy, Henk has been a professional diplomat in the Dutch foreign service for 30+ years, serving in the US, France and the UK. Henk was Dutch ambassador to Finland 2012 - 2015 and to Denmark 2015 - 2019. He is now an independent advisor on sustainable mobility and international cooperation and thinks a lot about how to improve conditions for cyclists and increase cycling levels across the board. Dutch-born, Henk has been cycling to school and to work for over 50 years. Since his ambassadorship in Finland, he has been actively engaging in cycling diplomacy. In 2019 Henk joined the board of the European Cyclists’ Federation (ECF), advocating for more and better cycling for all in Europe and beyond. Henk is a certified EuroVelo route inspector and served on the EuroVelo Council 2019-2025. Henk is married with two grown-up daughters. When not on the road, Henk divides his time between Amsterdam and Helsinborg.
