Hielke Hijmans

Hielke Hijmans is an expert in fundamental rights, EU law, privacy and data protection, with extensive experience, mainly across the national administrations of the Netherlands and Belgium and within the European institutions. He also serves as a part-time Professor of International and European Data Protection Law at Vrije Universiteit Brussel.

His expertise focuses on the enforcement of digital regulation, particularly the General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR).

From April 2019 to May 2026, he was responsible for GDPR enforcement in Belgium as a member of the Executive Board of the Belgian Data Protection Authority and Chair/Director of its Litigation Chamber. In that role, he held autonomous final responsibility for sanction decisions in both national and cross-border cases, including high-profile matters with significant legal, economic and societal impact, and represented Belgium in the plenary of the EDPB.

Through his professional activities, he seeks to contribute to a strong rule of law and to a European Union that effectively protects citizens in the digital age, against the background of legal, technological and geopolitical developments (such as artificial intelligence). In particular, in this new professional chapter, he envisages to deliver added value through public speaking, strategic (legal) advising, (academic) writing and teaching.

He strongly believes in the role of independent supervisory authorities and in close cooperation between governments, regulators, businesses, NGOs and academia. He combines deep legal expertise with experience in strategic leadership, politically sensitive decision-making and complex national and European procedures.

He is motivated by opportunities where I can apply my knowledge, energy and enthusiasm to deliver meaningful impact in both the public and private sectors, including NGOs and academia.