Stefan de Bruijn has been active in communications, media and politics since a young age. At Castro, his passions, knowledge and experience come together.
Stefan was born in Geldrop on June 14, 1983, the son of two teachers. He grew up in Heeze in Brabant.
Radio and Journalism
As a child, Stefan was already very interested in the media and the news. At the age of thirteen, Stefan started working at the local broadcaster (Radio Horizon). He started presenting a radio program for young people and the sports program (together with his father). At sixteen he joined a retired former alderman to present a program on local politics. During that time, Stefan came into full contact with what would later become one of his greatest passions: politics.
At the age of eighteen, Stefan got the chance to do radio on a national level as well. At the Radio 1 (training) program known as BNN United, he became one of the reporters. It was therefore a logical step when he left Brabant in 2001 to study Journalism at the Hogeschool Utrecht. During this study he did internships at the Eindhovens Dagblad and NOS Radio 1. Subsequently, he took a Master's degree in Political Science at the University of Amsterdam. During this time he was also a member of the Central Student Council.
Politics
As early as the age of eighteen, Stefan became politically active. He stood out as a young presenter of the political program at the local radio station and was approached by the VVD to become a group member. Stefan started as a civil committee member for the VVD in Heeze-Leende. At the youth organisation of the VVD, the JOVD, Stefan was chief editor of association magazine Driemaster. He later also became chairman of the JOVD Amsterdam. During this time, he met his current associate at Castro, Frits Huffnagel. Frits was at that time the parliamentary group chairman of the VVD in Amsterdam.
His studies were followed by a varied career at the Amsterdam City Hall and in Amsterdam politics. Stefan became a policy advisor for the VVD in 2004. In 2005 he became a dual councilor in the then Westerpark district. In 2007 he became political advisor to the Amsterdam-Centrum district council. In this district, Stefan became a district council member and vice party chairman in 2010. He combined this work with his position as head of the VVD parliamentary party bureau in Amsterdam, where Stefan managed the bureau consisting of five employees. Finally, he became a duo councilor in the Amsterdam City Council in 2012.
Communication and lobbying
After a good ten years at the Amsterdam City Hall, Stefan chose to work in the field of communication and politics (lobby) in The Hague. He started at communications agency Schinkelshoek & Verhoog as a public affairs and communications consultant. Here he was mainly involved in advocacy, strategic communication, media and spokesmanship for companies and organisations. He also gave media and presentation training to executives and board members. Examples of clients include DONG Energy, DELA, SpiritsNL, SNS, Yes We Can Clinics and VIVAT. During this period, Stefan was also a member of the Supervisory Board of GGZ Rivierduinen.
Entrepreneur in communications and lobbying
In 2017, Stefan struck out on a new path as a sole trader under the name SDB Advies, for consultancy in communications, strategy and lobbying. Among other things, he worked as communications manager Netherlands for the Danish energy company Ørsted. At youth mental health institution Yes We Can Clinics, Stefan was successively head of communications a.i. and member of the board a.i.
City Council member
Stefan also became a "real" member (not a duo council member) of the Amsterdam City Council in 2017. A dream came true. He became spokesman for education, animal welfare and neighbourhood approach for VVD. He was also a member of the Presidium (board) of the City Council.
With his good friend Frits Huffnagel, Stefan decided in the summer of 2018 to join forces as self-employed professionals and set up a communications agency together. That communications agency would become Castro Communicatie. The agency is named after Castro district in San Francisco, one of Stefan's favourite cities.
Private and leisure
Stefan lives with his friend Jorge in the Amsterdam Wetering neighbourhood. In his free time he enjoys running, golf, city trips and eating out with friends.