Bessel Kok

Bessel Kok (born 13 December 1941 in Hilversum, Netherlands) 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.

Kok ran a campaign for presidency of the World Chess Federation against the incumbent Kirsan Ilyumzhinov in 2006.

[1] The election was held in June 2006, in Torino, Italy during the World Chess Olympiad and Kok lost 54–96 to Ilyumzhinov.

As of 2013[update], Bessel Kok was an Executive Chairman of the pro cycling team Omega Pharma Quick-Step.