International Advisor on Geopolitics, Global Economics and Finance

Former Dutch Ambassador to Russia, Ukraine, Turkey and China, former advisor at the EU, EBRD, IMF and World Bank, former senior Director at the Dutch Ministries of Finance and Foreign Affairs

Ron is an experienced expert on international financial, economic and geopolitical issues.

He currently works as an advisor (including to the G20 Presidency, multilateral organizations and the international business community) and lecturer at e.g. the University of Groningen, Leiden University, the Royal Dutch Academy of Finance and Economics, and the Mandeville Academy. He is a member of advisory boards of, among others, the EU Tech Chamber and Euro Défense Netherlands. As an analyst, Ron is regularly active in Dutch and international television, radio, newspapers and other media.

Ron was Dutch Ambassador to Ukraine, the Russian Federation, Turkey and China (2005-2017). As Director General at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, he was responsible for Dutch development cooperation between 2000 and 2005.

Previously, he was Director of Foreign Financial Relations and Director of Export Credit Insurance and Investment Guarantees at the Ministry of Finance (1994-2000).

Ron was one of the founders of the European Bank for Reconstruction and Development, established after the fall of the Berlin Wall, and was a Director on its first board of directors in London (1991-1994). During that period he was the first Dutch official to visit the newly independent country of Ukraine.

At the European Union in Brussels, he was, among other things, Chairman of the Committee that set up the Euro currency system (1997-2000). In Washington DC he worked closely with the IMF and the World Bank (1984-1991). During that period he also served as personal assistant to the Dutch Minister of Finance.

Ron holds a Master's degree in Economic Sciences from the University of Amsterdam (cum laude).