About us

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PRIMO Res Publica is focused on ‘Public Value & Risk Guidance’. It has ‘building trust‘ as its mission to create, maintain, and protect public values and mitigate the risks attached to these values.

PRIMO, the ‘Public Risk Management Organisation’, was founded in 2005 and developed into an international association, PRIMO Europe, in 2007, based in Brussels with chapters in various European countries, such as Denmark, France, Malta, the Netherlands and Flanders. In 2024, a transition took place in which financial resources were transferred to the University of Twente to support professional education and to the umbrella organisations of the municipal secretaries involved.

The original databases of related organisations with publications and rights to the portfolio were handed over to Jack Kruf, one of the founders of PRIMO Europe and PRIMO Nederland. He founded PRIMO Res Publica, an organisation to maintain, curate and expand this library towards its original focus: the governance of public values and the hereto related public risks (being ‘possible harms to these values’). The website now contains a selection of sources of inspiration, meetings, masterclasses, and publications spanning a period of more than 70 years. Many new publications have been added since its foundation.

At the same time, a new international association was established, focusing specifically on risk leadership: the Strategic Risk Leadership Association: “The SRLA is a pan-European expert network aimed at advancing knowledge and use of risk management for strategic decision-making in European national and local governments, comprising the public sector at large, and it links to private enterprise.”

Moore (1995): “Public value refers to the value created by the government through laws, regulations, services, and any other action. In a democratic society, this value is defined by the public itself. Value is determined by citizens’ preferences expressed in a variety of ways, and thus it provides a rough yardstick against which to gauge the public institutions and government policies.”

Public Risk is defined as ‘possible harm to a chosen public value’, as derived from Kates & Kasperson (1983) and Renn & Klinke (2002).

Since our founding on the 1st of April 2005, we have systematically studied the needs of public leaders and managers in the regional and local public sector. On this basis, it has established the academy as an integral part of its mission: advancing the knowledge and use of value and risk governance within the local government sector and across the public sector at large in Europe.

PRIMO is strongly focused on delivering high effectiveness and efficient public governance by improving the skills and attitudes of both management and staff in creating, securing, or developing public values. An open, critical, and fair attitude, alertness, cooperation, and partnership are crucial. Our approach is based on advising, training, and applying only in-practice-proven certified models, tools, and techniques to solve concrete needs, issues, policies, projects, and programs. We focus on good governance.

We have the precautionary principle, stewardship, marksmanship (archery), and maximisation of the balance collected tax money / spent tax money, as our starting points.

In our educational programs, we always opt for multidisciplinary teams, as this greatly enriches the dialogue by bringing diverse perspectives to public issues. Different perspectives drawn from academia, professional expertise, policy themes, or organisational backgrounds and positions are highly inspiring for participants in our round-table discussions and educational programs. On the teaching side, we always work within the triangle of academia, practical expertise, and public administration.

Our set of methods, tools, and techniques can be used for research, education, and consultancy purposes. They work in interconnected ways together with our library of publications. It is important to emphasise that we work only with small groups to ensure dialogue. Attendants always come in with their own cases and themselves and always leave with concrete advice to improve or with concrete solutions to what they brought in.

International Platform

It is PRIMO’s mission to make education and training in risk management available at the European level. This is because the way we perceive, assess, and manage risks across countries shows strong similarities. There are obviously different priorities, accents, and cultural approaches, but experience shows that, in essence, everyone working in the public domain faces the same obligation to govern emerging risks. And the risks in the public domain itself are universally identical. With this in mind, we decided to invest in developing an international program to improve cross-border awareness and approaches to public values and risks.

Unique dialogue oriented approach

We believe that risk governance is best supported by a dialogue-oriented approach. The blend of scientific methods and practice is combined. Unique is not only learning but experiencing through dialogue. Sharing knowledge and storytelling are central to the programs.

Our Roles

  • Broker: consulting and selection for organisations working in or for the public domain or private companies focused on products and services for the public domain.
  • Developer: developing new, not existing, and innovative education programs in co-creation with partners and suppliers, seeking the high end of the market and working with certified and top institutes, consultancies, and universities.
  • Supplier: offering solutions, courses, seminars, and roundtables.
  • Recommender: providing high-quality labels for existing courses. PRIMO was a member of the certification team of the MBA Risk Management at Twente University

Honorary Members (in their role while honoured) of PRIMO Europe:

  • Eulalio Avíla Cano, President UDITE, board member of PRIMO Europe, President of the Spanish Association for City managers, COSITAL.
  • Philippe Auzimour, Director Marsh & McLennan Europe, a founding partner of PRIMO Europe.
  • Gérard Combe, co-founder of PRIMO, co-founder of PRIMO Europe as an association, president of PRIMO France, President French Association for City Managers, SNDGCT.
  • Ronny Frederickx, member of the Chief Executive Committee UDITE, President UDITE, co-founder of PRIMO, co-founder of PRIMO Europe as an association, PRIMO Risk Management Award winner 2017.
  • Jack Kruf Huyssons, member of the Chief Executive Committee UDITE, co-founder of PRIMO, co-founder PRIMO Nederland, co-founder of PRIMO Europe as an association, and honorary president of PRIMO Europe.
  • Soteris Messios †, Secretary General PRIMO Europe, Founder and President PRIMO Cyprus.
  • John O’Dea, Secretary General PRIMO Europe, Founder and President of PRIMO Malta.
  • Tom Wustenberghs, President and Treasurer of PRIMO Europe, President of PRIMO Vlaanderen.

Key players

  • Francisco Alverinho Correia, President UDITE, board member of PRIMO Europe, President of the Portuguese Association for City managers, ATAM.
  • Torben Juul Andersen, board member of PRIMO Europe, professor at the Business School, Copenhagen, Denmark.
  • Xavier Boivert, board member of PRIMO Europe and a representative of UDITE.
  • Peter Boorsma, involved in the start of PRIMO Nederland, professor at Twente University.
  • Jan Breyne, member of the Chief Executive Committee of UDITE, chairman of the Flemish Federation of City Managers, and initiator of PRIMO Vlaanderen.
  • Theo Camps, full professor TIAS / Tilburg University.
  • Byron Davies, President UDITE, board member of PRIMO Europe, President of the UK association for city managers, SOLACE.
  • Marie Gemma Dequae, board member PRIMO Europe, lector Vlerick Business School.
  • Frank Dietz, Head Circular Economy, The Netherlands, First Professor Oldeman Lecture.
  • Lynn Drennan, directeur ALARM.
  • Eric Frank, director of PRIMO Nederland.
  • Rebecca Dalli Gonzi, Head of Department Construction and Property Management, University of Malta, former Secretary General PRIMO Europe.
  • Didier Duraffourg †, President UDITE, board member of PRIMO Europe, President of the French Association for City Managers, SNDGCT.
  • Paul Gatt, President UDITE, board member of PRIMO Europe, Chairman of the Maltese Association for City managers ANSEK.
  • Rob Ellermeijer †, Leading partner of Ernst & Young.
  • Simon Grima, Professor Malta University.
  • Joop Halman, board member of PRIMO Nederland, professor at Twente University.
  • Jesper Hjort, Chairman of PRIMO Danmark.
  • Kaz Janowicz, CEO, Risk Management Partners.
  • Frank Janse, Head communications Bank Dutch Municipalities (BNG)
  • Finn Kjaer Jensen, Director of the European Institute of Risk Management, EIRM, and co-founder of PRIMO as a concept, and support organisation for PRIMO Danmark.
  • Patrick Kenis, co-designer masterclass ‘Result in Times of Transition’, Professor Tilburg University.
  • Hans Krul, City manager of Delft, The Netherlands, Second Professor Oldeman Lecture
  • Martin Kuipers, chairman of PRIMO Nederland.
  • Luc Kupers, board member of PRIMO Europe.
  • Ed Mallens, Risk & Quality manager, City of Rotterdam, Secretary General PRIMO Europe.
  • Staf Mariën, board member PRIMO Vlaanderen.
  • Philippe Melaerts (Marsh & McLennan).
  • Eugène Meuleman, board member of PRIMO Europe, Chairman of PRIMO Nederland.
  • Adrian Mifsud, President of UDITE, co-founder of PRIMO, and co-founder of PRIMO Europe as an association.
  • Roelof Oldeman, Professor Wageningen University, co-initiator Professor Oldeman Lecture.
  • Leen Paape, Professor Nyenrode University.
  • Simon Pascoe, European funding and cross border project management expert.
  • Stéphane Pintre, President UDITE, board member of PRIMO Europe.
  • Harrie Scholtens, PRIMO Risk Management Award winner 2018, previous city manager and project manager, EPSA Award (by EIPA).
  • John Shaftoe, Strategic manager de Risk Management Partners.
  • Wouter Slob, President PRIMO Europe, board member of PRIMO Nederland.
  • Peter Sylow, co-founder of PRIMO Danmark, Owner European Institute of Risk Management, EIRM.
  • Alan Vendelbo, President of UDITE and co-founder of PRIMO Danmark, and president of PRIMO as a concept.
  • Karl Vanderplaetse, co-founder and board member of PRIMO Vlaanderen.
  • Luc Verhulst, co-founder and board member of PRIMO Vlaanderen.
  • Jan-Paul Woudstra, board member PRIMO Europe, chairman PRIMO Nederland.
  • Peter Young, 3M Endowed Chair in International Business at St. Thomas University, Minneapolis / Minnesota / United States.

Strategic management advice and organisation

  • Soledad Centenera (UDITE, PRIMO Europe, Spain).
  • Gina Coelho (UDITE, PRIMO Europe, Portugal)
  • Louise Ellul (Malta, UDITE).
  • Isabelle Fayolle (PRIMO France).
  • Amy Hedger (Marsh & McLennan).
  • Marieke de Kort (PRIMO Europe).
  • Michelle Lene Kruf (PRIMO Nederland)
  • Malene Mouritze Marfelt (EIRM, PRIMO Danmark).
  • Inge Sebregts (PRIMO Europe).
  • Keith Southwell (KM Partners).
  • Catherine Zijlstra (PRIMO Nederland).

Corporate Member/ Cooperating Partner

  • Bank Dutch Municipalities (BNG).
  • European Institute of Public Administration (EIPA).
  • Marsh & McLennan.
  • Ernst & Young.
  • Malta University.
  • PricewaterhouseCoopers.
  • Risk Management Partners (RMP).
  • St. Thomas University.
  • Tilburg University/TIAS.
  • Twente Universiteit.
  • Union des Dirigeants Territoriaux de l’Europe (UDITE).
  • Association of Municipal Secretaries of the Netherlands (VGS)
  • Flemish Federation of Municipal Secretaries (VFG)