Herman Heinsbroek

Hermanus Philippus Johannes Bernardus Heinsbroek (born January 12, 1951) is a Dutch entrepreneur and was Minister of Economic Affairs in the First Balkenende cabinet.

Personal life

Heinsbroek was born in Schiedam and grew up in Rotterdam. His father was the General Manager of the Blankenheim & Nolet gin distillery. Heinsbroek studied business and civil law at the Erasmus University, graduating in 1975.

He started out as a diplomat in the Ministry of Foreign Affairs. After a brief time there, he left to work at CBS Records. In 1979 he was hired as Managing Director of Arcade Records Benelux. Through a management buy-out in 1984 he acquired the majority of the shares of the company. Over the years he built it into one of the largest independent players in the European music business, with affiliates in 11 countries plus the US, called The Arcade Entertainment Group. The company also owned Indisc, CNR Music, music retail chain The Music Store, Vanguard Classics, Arcade Music Publishing, Arcade Video, Radio 10 Gold, Concert Radio, Love Radio and music television station TMF. In 1995 Arcade was sold to Wegener N.V.

Heinsbroek is known as a collector and connaisseur of Contemporary Art, in particular Chinese Art.

He is a member of the supervisory board of Belinco N.V.

Political career

Heinsbroek served in the first Balkenende cabinet as Minister of Economic Affairs, representing the Pim Fortuyn List (LPF). His resignation, which came after continued public conflict with fellow LPF member and Minister of Health, Welfare and Sport Eduard Bomhoff, was one of the reasons for the collapse of the cabinet.