Frits Huffnagel

Frits was born in Leiden, where he also grew up. After completing HAVO, he went on to attend the VWO program at the Dr. W.A. Visser ’t Hooft Lyceum. He then moved to Amsterdam to study Political Science at VU University Amsterdam. During his studies, Frits worked in the youth department at Veronica, where he produced reports for the radio program Club Veronica Trend. He then worked as an editor for Veronica Nieuwsradio. He also completed an internship at the VVD’s research bureau, the Teldersstichting. In 1993, he graduated with a degree in Political Communication and Information. This major combined Frits’s two main interests: communication and politics.

City Council Member and Alderman
Shortly thereafter, he began building his career: in 1998, Frits became a city council member in Amsterdam, and in 2004, he was appointed alderman for Finance, Economic Affairs, ICT, and the Airport. In 2006, he became an alderman in The Hague, with portfolios in City Marketing and Downtown, International Affairs, ICT, and Human Resources & Organization. Frits played a significant role in the development of city marketing in the Netherlands, which was still in its infancy at the time. In the capital, Amsterdam, he introduced the “I amsterdam” campaign, and he put The Hague on the map as the “International City of Peace and Justice.” Never before had an alderman had the term “city marketing” in his portfolio or on his business card, and never before could anyone claim to have served as an alderman in two of the country’s largest cities.

In addition to his extensive experience and knowledge of city marketing, Frits also has experience and expertise in (political) campaigning. In 1998, he served as campaign manager for the VVD in Amsterdam. In 2003, he was part of Gerrit Zalm’s campaign team, and in 2006, he was the successful campaign manager for Mark Rutte. He also closely follows American politics and enjoys visiting the U.S., which has led to meetings with Presidents Barack Obama and Bill Clinton, as well as Newt Gingrich, Mitt Romney, Rudolph Giuliani, and Hillary Clinton.

His own company
After his political career, he started his own company under the name Frits Huffnagel, City Marketing & Communication. In 2011, he left the Hague City Council to focus on this venture. His passion for communication also took on a new form as a host on BNR Nieuwsradio and with his own talk show, FRITS!, on Omroep West, covering art & culture, entrepreneurship, politics, entertainment, and sports. From Rico Verhoeven and Sjaak Bral to André van Duin, from Annemarie van Gaal and Tineke Schouten to Thomas Berge, from Karin Bloemen and Emiel Roemer to Ministers Schouten and Schultz-Van Haegen, and from Willeke Alberti to Thomas Ross. They’ve all been guests on the talk show FRITS!

Media
But even if you haven’t delved into city marketing or politics, you may still know Frits. His national fame began with his participation as a panelist on the debate program *Het Lagerhuis* (1997), airing Saturday evenings on VARA. He also appeared on the twelfth season of *Wie is de Mol?* (AVRO). He often uses public appearances to combine his political experience and views with a dash of humor. For example, when he appears as a guest on shows such as *Goedemorgen Nederland*, *Jinek*, *Beau*, *WNL op Zondag*, or *Pauw (& Witteman)*. He has written columns for *Gay & Night*, *HP/DeTijd*, and *De Telegraaf*. Frits also served as chairman of Stichting AGP, the organization behind Amsterdam Gay Pride. He participated in *Ranking The Stars* and *First Dates*.
Speaking of entertainment: Frits is a huge fan of the Eurovision Song Contest. As he himself says: “Everyone is entitled to a few quirks, and for me, the Eurovision Song Contest is one of them.” In recent years, he has frequently attended (semi)finals and been behind the scenes in the press room.

Castro
Frits is still a busy bee: On January 1, 2019, Frits founded Castro together withStefan de Bruijn. He is also a member of the Supervisory Board of the Netherlands’ largest broadcaster: AvroTros