Meet The Team

Hans van den Berg is the Founder and Director of The Young Diplomat. In 2012 he finished his BBA in International Hospitality Management and worked for project developers. In 2013 he started working for the Dutch Tax office providing training and consultancy on legal affairs. In 2017 Hans obtained his MSc. in Public Administration from Leiden University, specialising in International and European Governance. He has held a teaching position from 2018 to 2022 at Erasmus University Rotterdam, where he became Chair of the University Council in 2019 until 2022. Currently he is also working at the Center for International Legal Cooperation in projects relating to strengthening the rule of law in Eastern Europe and the Balkan, as well as teaching at Leiden University.

​

Hans is an expert on international negotiation in the political, public and private arena. Specifically on developing and applying strategies, and where the public and private field meet. Some of his publications include: On Strategy and Tactics at PINpoints; The role of the European Union on the chessboard of great power politics in Modelling The New Europe; Russia, Turkey and Bosnia Herzegovina, a study of operational codes which may harm peacebuilding at the SEN foundation;

Zita de Wild has been with the Young Diplomat since the beginning. She is a young professional currently who studies European Policy at the University of Amsterdam after completing her bachelor's in Management of International Social Challenges at Erasmus University. After finishing high school Zita asked herself the question: in what direction do I want my future to go? As a committed student council member, she has been helping refugees integrate into Dutch society by teaching them the Dutch language and has been involved in multiple environmental projects. The urge to direct her future towards solving problems exceeding borders grew as she lived through Californian wildfires. Witnessing the consequential mudslides become fatal to many community members and damaging to the environment, her eyes were opened to an array of issues that cannot be solved by one country on its own. The formation of unity is therefore of crucial importance and is a challenge she is thrilled to take on. At the Young Diplomat, Zita's responsibilities are extended beyond maintaining contacts with our partners, experts, and diplomats as she organises our events for the YD Academy to the last detail.

In his capacity as Junior Project Manager, Domenico Pio Foti works on the Negotiation LAB project with Leiden University and the Project for MENA Diplomats with the Center for International Legal Cooperation. Domenico is currently studying an advanced Master in International Relations and Diplomacy at Leiden University after completing a bachelor and master at the University of Messina in Law. Furthermore, he works for the Global Human Rights Defence organisation as a fundraising coordinator.

Having joined the Young DIplomat in 2023 as a Project Intern for the MENA Diplomats, Sahib Rasulov works as the Junior Project Manager. He is focused on assisting with organisation of events as well as the YD's Winter and Summer school. Previously, he obtained a double-degree BA in International Relations and History from Istanbul Bilgi University, and more recently graduated from Advanced master in iNternational Relations and Diplomacy at Leiden University.