About me
Maartje Rutten
After my propedeutics French, I obtained my Masters’ degree in Policy and Management in International Organisations from the University of Groningen. During the last year of my studies I worked as a Research Assistant at the Western European Union (WEU) Parliamentary Assembly in Paris. My first job was at the Centre for European Policy Studies (CEPS) in Brussels, where I established and managed several research projects in the field of European defence industrial collaboration.
Subsequently I worked as a Senior Research Fellow at the EU-Institute for Security Studies (EU-ISS) in Paris. Again, I managed several research projects; wrote various publications (among others “From St-Malo to Nice” and “From Nice to Laeken”, overview studies of the development of European defence); contributed to publications of others (among others “European Defence : Making it Work” by François Heisbourg); and wrote policy notes for then EU High Representative for the Common Foreign and Security Policy (CFSP), Dr. Javier Solana. The working languages were always English and French.
Motivated by the idea to contribute to national policymaking with my European experience, I went to the Dutch Ministry of Defence, where I, again, mainly focussed on European defence materiel collaboration. This concerned : – research and analysis of all European Defence Agency (EDA) related affairs; – international coordination with and contact point for the EDA and Ministries of Defence of the EDA member states; and – preparing Dutch positions and representing the Netherlands at EDA meetings.
In addition, I have been focussing very intensively, since 2006, on self-examination, self-knowledge and awakening, and read tons and tons of books in this field. This research has brought me so much insight and clarity, not only with regard to myself but inherently obviously also to others, the context. All of this to a large extent linked to Workplace Bullying, that I have, by now, studied from probably all possible points of view (psychoanalytical, spiritual, sociological, philosophical and the like). The extremely positive lessons that I have learned I would now like to contribute and use them in my work. Despite still widespread scepticism (i.e. fear of change) as regards self-study / awareness, I am, from my own experience, 100% convinced that many (if not everyone) would gain tremendously from it and that it provides solutions to many (if not all) problems.
More on the hobby-side but still related to the above, I am very much into Kundalini yoga and Yin yoga. Further hobbies are Spanish proficiency (DELE C1) and Spanish literature, reading, travelling, bicycling, hiking and skiing.
Character & Personality : Unprecedented resilience and perseverance! The more than 12 years of self-examination and many, many related books have made me further sharpen my passions and skills and persuaded me to start my own business. The “ideal job” in which I could use all my skills, knowledge and experience and in which they, but also I myself, could fully come to fruition, is impossible to find. More sensible thus to create it myself. Especially in this time of self-employed entrepreneurs, freelancers, the digital networked economy and the fact that specialist knowledge nowadays lies with the independent entrepreneur. Professionally and privately I am practically non-stop engaged in research, analysis, reading, writing, maintaining my French and Spanish up to date and self-study. I am very passionate and enthusiastic about all of this and thus always work with maximum commitment, dedication, passion, meticulousness and energy. It is exactly this diversity :research, analysis, writing, translation as well as involving my knowledge of self-insight and awareness, that makes it so extremely motivating for me.