About Rijker Advisory

Bio

Rion Rijker is counsel for sports integrity, privacy, and technology law, in the governance practice since 2015. He combines legal precision with technical, behavioural, and operational rigour, and works for Dutch ministries, listed corporations, financial services firms, healthcare organisations, public authorities, and sports federations.

Rion holds an LLM in Technology Law (University of Groningen), an MBA in Sport Management (Eaton Business School, thesis phase on governance in Dutch combat sports), and is preparing doctoral research at the intersection of sports integrity and governance. From 2018 to 2023 he was of-counsel at SOLV Advocaten Amsterdam; from 2024 to 2025 he served as director of the Dutch Martial Arts Federation.

His methodology, the Rijker Governance Adoption Model, is built around one principle: governance only works once it holds up at the moment it is tested. Every engagement he accepts follows this model, whether the question originates in sports integrity, privacy, or the wider compliance domain.

Sport context

With more than twenty years in the Dutch martial arts sector, including two black belts and the role of director of the Dutch Martial Arts Federation (2024-2025), Rion combines legal and governance advisory with substantive understanding of the sports context. This combination underpins the Sports Integrity practice: not an academic observer but counsel who knows the sector from the inside.

Education

• LLM Technology Law: University of Groningen (2011-2013).
• MBA Sport Management: Eaton Business School (2023-2024, thesis phase).
• Doctoral research in preparation: governance in sport.
• BSc Business IT Administration: Amsterdam University of Applied Sciences.

Registrations and certifications

• Registered DPO with the Dutch Data Protection Authority.
• Registered Data Protection Officer: Dutch Register of Data Protection Officers (NRFG), registration number 685.
• Fellow of Information Privacy (FIP): IAPP.
• Certified Information Privacy Professional/Europe (CIPP/E): IAPP.
• Certified Information Privacy Manager (CIPM): IAPP.
• Certified Information Privacy Technologist (CIPT): IAPP.
• Certified Information Security Manager (CISM): ISACA.
• Certified in Risk and Information Systems Control (CRISC): ISACA.
• ISO 27001 Lead Implementer: APMG.
• IAPP-approved trainer (CIPP/E, CIPM, CIPT).
• Certified CISM trainer.

Publications and speaking

Author of "Why Most Governance Programs Fail: The Missing Layer" (Rijker Advisory, April 2026). Additional publications and speaking engagements available on request. Recent and upcoming work appears under Insights.

Jury member of the Dutch Privacy Awards. Regular guest speaker and moderator at events on cybersecurity, privacy, and sports integrity.

Selected engagements

Rijker Advisory has worked with Dutch ministries (including Foreign Affairs and the Interior), listed corporations (including Euronext, Vodafone, KPN, and Transavia), professional services (including EY), Holland Casino, tech and mobility (including Sidekix), health-tech and biotech (including Quin and Monta Bioscience), regulatory and public authorities (including the Chamber of Commerce and the National Ombudsman), Dutch and international sports federations, and cross-border training and governance programmes for foreign regulators. Client names are disclosed only with written permission.

Scope and languages

Practice area: the Netherlands and European Union. International engagements subject to conflict check and scope alignment. Working languages: Dutch and English.

Why independent

The choice for independence is deliberate and operationally secured. Without ownership or referral relationships to third parties, without cross-selling and without partner pressure, the judgment you receive can serve your interest alone. This positioning is not decorative but determines the usability of every piece of advice under external testing.

Read how independence is operationally secured at Rijker Advisory → Approach.