Biography.guide
Home › People › Businessperson › Bessel Kok
Portrait of Bessel Kok

Bessel Kok

b. 1941

Dutch businessman and chess organiser

Businessperson Chess organiserChess player
Don't just read it — keep itBiographies to ownE-book · Audio · Video From $7 →

About Bessel Kok

Born 1941. Bessel Kok is a Dutch businessperson, chess organiser and chess player.

Bessel Kok (born 13 December 1941 in Hilversum) is a Dutch businessman and chess organiser living in Prague. He has served in top management positions in telecommunications companies in Belgium (Belgacom) and in the Czech Republic. He was also President of the Belgian-based Banking communications company SWIFT and responsible for SWIFT's sponsorship of several major International chess events.

Kok was the Chairman of World Chess Grandmaster Association from 1985 until 1991, and helped to establish the 2002 Prague Agreement concerning the World Chess Championship.

Kok is also active in the arts. He was the producer of the film The Power of Good: Nicholas Winton about British businessman Nicholas Winton who rescued children from the Nazis. The film won an Emmy Award in 2002.

Kok ran a campaign for presidency of the World Chess Federation against the incumbent Kirsan Ilyumzhinov in 2006. The election was held in June 2006, in Turin, Italy during the World Chess Olympiad and Kok lost 54–96 to Ilyumzhinov.

, Bessel Kok was an Executive Chairman of the pro cycling team Omega Pharma Quick-Step. He is also Chairman of the related Bakala Academy, a center for sport development.

In 2004, he organized the Cow Parade art exhibition in Prague.

Biography shop

Don’t just read it —
keep it.

Full-length biographies made to live with: read them, listen on the way to work, watch them tonight.

  • E-book
  • Audio
  • Video
Browse the shop — from $7

Instant download · yours to keep · every purchase keeps this site free

Important facts

People in Bessel Kok's life

Named in this biography and alive at the same time

Contemporaries

People whose lives overlapped Bessel Kok's

Frequently asked questions

Who is Bessel Kok?

Dutch businessman and chess organiser

When was Bessel Kok born?

Bessel Kok was born on 13 December 1941 in Hilversum.

What is Bessel Kok's occupation?

Bessel Kok is a businessperson, chess organiser and chess player.

What nationality is Bessel Kok?

Bessel Kok is Dutch.

Sources & further reading

· Wikipedia: Bessel Kok

· Wikidata: Q390391

· DBpedia: Bessel Kok

Cite this page

APA: Biography.guide. (2026). Bessel Kok. https://biography.guide/bessel-kok/

MLA: "Bessel Kok." Biography.guide, https://biography.guide/bessel-kok/.

Chicago: "Bessel Kok." Biography.guide. https://biography.guide/bessel-kok/.

Data last updated: 2026-09-20 · Spot an error? Report a correction.

Page generated 2026-09-27 05:15 UTC