Koen Aartsma

Koen Aartsma is a Senior Research Fellow at Clingendael’s Security Unit and heads the Strategic Foresight Programme. He leads Clingendael’s efforts in geopolitical trend analysis, scenario development and horizon scanning. This includes Clingendael’s projects and strategic foresights for the Ministries of Foreign Affairs and Defence. It also includes foresights for the Ministry of Justice & Security, within the National Network of Safety and Security Analysts (ANV).

Koen's main research interests are power politics, the changing world order, intelligence and international security with a focal point on how international trends and developments impact national and European security and how the Netherlands and the EU should relate to these developments.

Koen has over a decade of experience within the Dutch government. He worked for the Ministry of Foreign Affairs in the Hague and in the diplomatic field in the Middle East. Furthermore he has a long track record in national and international intelligence as a senior security analyst. 

He holds a BA in Political Science and a Masters degree in International Relations from the University of Amsterdam.