Frank Thewessem

Frank is CEO of Topsport Amsterdam, the second-largest national elite sports training centre in the Netherlands, and proudly represents the City of Amsterdam, host of the 1928 Olympic Games. He is responsible for strategic leadership, high-performance talent development in elite sport and the acquisition of major national and international sporting events.  

With nearly ten years of experience in this role, Frank operates at the intersection of elite sport, public governance, urban policy and sport-led urban development. Under his leadership, Topsport Amsterdam has strengthened its role as a platform for Olympic-level performance, innovation and sustainable legacy. 

In close cooperation with sports federations, public authorities, educational institutions, private organisations and social partners, Frank aligns elite sport programmes with long-term objectives in health, inclusion and city development. His work emphasises governance, cross-sector collaboration and the societal value of sport beyond competition. 

Frank has been an active member of the World Union of Olympic Cities for nearly a decade. From a practitioner’s perspective, he contributes to the promotion of Olympic values, supports knowledge exchange between cities and actively engages in the further strategic development of the World Union and its role within the global Olympic ecosystem.