Ralf Benda appointed new chairman of Koninklijke Horeca Nederland

Ralf Benda will become the new chair of Koninklijke Horeca Nederland (KHN) on 1 September 2026. He succeeds Marijke Vuik, who, after more than three years as chair, took up her post as chair of MKB-Nederland on 1 July. The KHN Members’ Council has unanimously elected Ralf Benda as chair. The official handover ceremony between Marijke and Ralf will take place in August.

In appointing Ralf Benda, KHN has once again chosen a seasoned entrepreneur with a rock-solid vision of the market and a deep commitment to the sector. His vision for innovation and his drive to help entrepreneurs move forward will make the sector even stronger. ”Ralf has already demonstrated his strategic value in his role as a national board member and through his involvement in various committees. As chairman, he will be able to apply this knowledge and experience across the sector,” says Udo Delfgou, managing director of KHN.

“The foundations for a future-proof sector and a strong trade association have been laid. Now we can press ahead. With Ralf as a strong central figure bringing people together, we can demonstrate the added value of our trade association in relation to strategic themes. The hospitality sector is thriving and, with this figurehead at the helm, will go from strength to strength,” said Gijs Schapendonk, chair of the KHN Members’ Council.

Ralf Benda (aged 51) has his roots in Limburg and now lives with his family in Santpoort-Zuid. He has been working in the hospitality industry for 30 years and has extensive experience in the (international) hotel industry and the catering and hospitality sector. Among other roles, he served as Director of Food & Beverage for The Ritz-Carlton Hotel Company. He is also no stranger to developing new hospitality concepts. As a co-entrepreneur, he is involved in the development and operation of hospitality concepts in the A’DAM Tower. In addition, he is a co-founder of Velvet Square, which, amongst other things, operates the café of the same name in Amsterdam-Noord and provides hospitality consultancy for Amsterdam projects such as Van Gendt Hallen and Westergasfabriek.