WORKING FOR A BETTER AND MORE HUMANE WORLD

Ron Sargent retired from the U.S. Army in 2018 after more than three decades of active duty service. Over the last 18 years of his career, he served in several assignments focused primarily on the Southeast Asia region. The highlights of those years include postings as: Defense Cooperation Chief at the U.S. Embassy in Timor-Leste; Military Professor at the Daniel K. Inouye Asia-Pacific Center for Security Studies; Deputy Director of the NATO Training Mission’s Security Assistance Office in Kabul; Southeast Asia and Oceania Division Chief at the U.S. Pacific Command Joint Intelligence Operations Center; and the Army Attaché at the U.S. Embassy in Malaysia. He was also an exchange officer with the Malaysian Armed Forces.

His professional efforts centered on infantry and logistics operations; assistance to a former guerrilla force as it transitioned to become a professional, conventional military; negotiations between a government and armed opposition entities; bilateral and multilateral training initiatives; counterterrorism operations involving U.S. and partner- nation special operations forces; intelligence operations; humanitarian assistance to affected populations; and extensive engagement with senior political leaders, the international diplomatic community, NGOs, and international/regional organizations. He has also designed and executed training on policy themes ranging from security cooperation, comprehensive crisis management, humanitarian assistance, and security responses to terrorism.

Ron speaks Malaysian and Indonesian and possesses a postgraduate diploma in Strategic and Defence Studies from the University of Malaya; a MA in International Affairs/Southeast Asian Studies from Ohio University; a MS in National Security Strategy from the U.S. National Defense University; and a Doctorate in Education (Ed.D) from Vanderbilt University.

With over twenty years of private sector and non-profit experience including in large organizations such as Philips Electronics and the United Nations, Maarten is passionate about finding practical solutions to complex problems. His direct involvement in humanitarian assistance, including in both Asia and the Middle East, provides him with vast experience in dealing with humanitarian crises and developmental challenges. 

Having served eight years in the private sector in The Netherlands, Maarten designed a new sales and distribution system for Philips. Afterwards, following Timor-Leste’s independence in 2002, Maarten became the Dili International Airport’s Director of Operations and oversaw general aviation services for both the UN and private carriers. From 2004 to 2006 Maarten worked with UNICEF in New York and managed global staff training and professional development programs. He returned to Timor-Leste in 2006 as part of the UN’s spearhead in response to the national crisis there and subsequently initiated the World Food Programme’s emergency operations, which included the establishment of the country’s first food processing factory. During the Syrian Refugee Crisis in 2011, Maarten worked in support of both the International Labour Organization and the UN Development Programme while based in Lebanon. During this time, he designed a unique refugee employment program for the Lebanese and Jordanian Governments in collaboration with the UN and acquired the necessary funding for operations to commence. His expertise in public-private partnerships was key to this outcome. In 2018 he returned to Europe and continues to use his expertise to assist people and populations in need.

Most recently Maarten has been integral in assisting Prama to develop a more refined global vision and to work with international partners who share in the ethos of “Working for a Better World.” His diverse operational and managerial experience, combined with his appreciation for working closely with local stakeholders, enables Prama to develop and expand its operations with a mind on helping those most in need.

Maarten is fluent in English, Dutch and German, and holds a Master’s in Business Administration.