Van Leer Group Foundation

Van Leer Group Foundation

"The origins of the Van Leer activities lie with Bernard Van Leer, a Dutch industrialist and philanthropist. In 1919 Bernard Van Leer founded a small packaging company in The Netherlands that became a world leader in the industry and provided him with the resources to pursue his philanthropic activities. His objective, in essence, was to use the fruit of his labor to benefit others.

"When he died in 1958, Bernard Van Leer had arranged his affairs to ensure his business interests would continue to fuel his philanthropic work. Having gained the agreement from his wife Polly and his two sons, Oscar and Wim, to relinquish their inheritance rights, he bequeathed his fortune to a foundation with broad humanitarian goals, set up in 1949 in Lucerne, Switzerland. In this way, under Oscar van Leer's leadership, the income flow for his philanthropic goals could be guaranteed."


 * Andre Betting, Executive Director

Trustees
Accessed February 2009:


 * Peter Bell
 * Joep Brentjens
 * Rien van Gendt
 * Wilfred Griekspoor
 * Harry Leliveld
 * Trude Maas
 * Amos Mar-Haim
 * Nancy Newcomb
 * Ivar Samren

Trustees and Staff (accessed 2007)


 * Peter Laugharn - Executive Director
 * Jane Hartman - Secretary to the Executive Director

Trustees
Source pdf also see
 * Trude Maas-de Brouwer (The Netherlands) Chair
 * Peter D. Bell (usa)
 * Joep L. Brentjens (The Netherlands)
 * Harry Leliveld (The Netherlands)
 * Wilfred Griekspoor (The Netherlands)
 * Amos Mar-Haim (Israel)
 * Nancy Newcomb (usa)
 * Ivar Samren (Sweden)

Contact

 * Web: http://www.vanleergroupfoundation.nl

Related Sourcewatch articles

 * Marjorie Craig Benton
 * Van Leer Jerusalem Institute