Maarten van Rossum

Maarten van Rossum has built his career at the intersection of diplomacy, strategy, and decision-making. He studied Dutch and international law before spending the first seventeen years of his career in the public sector as a diplomat, serving in Washington, D.C., Brussels, and Afghanistan, and later as senior advisor to the Prime Minister of the Netherlands. After moving into the corporate world, he became Global Director of Public Affairs at HEINEKEN. Today, he serves as Head of Strategy at &FLUENCE, where he specializes in complex negotiations, corporate diplomacy, and stakeholder strategy.

Together with Tim Masselink, Maarten co-authored Toponderhandelaars (Top Negotiators), a practical and thought-provoking guide to negotiation based on the Harvard Negotiation Method. The book draws on the experiences of leading negotiators, including Mark Rutte, Marjan van Loon, and General Patrick Cammaert. As Vice Chair of the jury for the Dutch National Negotiation Award, Maarten remains closely connected to the latest developments in the field.

Internationally, Maarten shares his expertise as a visiting lecturer at the Tuck School of Business at Dartmouth College and at the Negotiation Program of the United States Military Academy at West Point. In the Netherlands, he is widely recognized for his media appearances as a negotiation expert on programmes hosted by Eva Jinek and Sven Kockelmann, and recently gained a new audience as a contestant on the popular television quiz show De Slimste Mens.

Maarten in Conversation

Maarten is at his best in a structured conversation, whether it's a Q&A, expert panel, or in-depth on-stage interview. What makes a negotiation truly successful? How do you maintain influence when interests collide? And how do you build support in organizations shaped by complexity and competing agendas? Drawing on decades of experience in conflict zones, European negotiations, and international boardrooms, Maarten offers grounded insights and practical perspectives. He is an outstanding choice for strategy sessions, leadership events, and conferences where an insightful and engaging conversation adds real value.