About Saskia Maarse
Saskia Maarse is an intercultural speaker, trainer and author with deep expertise in Dutch culture and the dynamics that arise when people from different backgrounds work together. Her understanding stems from a unique blend of professional experience abroad, years in the tourism sector, international travel and a long research period interviewing managers and professionals from various countries. After returning to the Netherlands, she spent six years gathering stories and insights that helped her map the habits, expectations and unwritten rules that shape Dutch behaviour both in business and in everyday life.
Her lectures and workshops are known for being fact-filled, accessible and funny. Saskia explains cultural patterns with clarity, illustrated by concrete examples that participants recognize instantly. She uses her six culture principles as a practical framework to help people decode Dutch directness, leadership style, communication preferences, decision-making, etiquette and the country’s distinctive approach to trust and collaboration.
Book Saskia Maarse for your event
Organisations across sectors book Saskia to strengthen intercultural understanding and improve international cooperation. Whether teams work with Dutch colleagues, manage Dutch clients or operate in multicultural environments, they benefit from Saskia’s ability to translate cultural theory into everyday behaviour. Her sessions offer participants a better understanding of their own cultural lens as well, making it easier to adapt, communicate and collaborate across borders.
She tailors each session to the audience’s needs, whether the focus is on cultural awareness, navigating Dutch business habits or dealing with common intercultural challenges. The result is a learning experience that fosters openness, reduces friction and builds confidence in international situations.
Topics & formats
Saskia offers lectures, workshops and training programs on:
- Cultural awareness
- Cultural differences
- Dutch (business) culture
- Doing business internationally
These sessions give participants a structured and engaging way to explore cultural contrasts and similarities. They also help teams understand why certain interactions feel smooth while others spark confusion. Saskia explains typical Dutch traits such as direct communication, egalitarian leadership and the preference for planning and clarity, in a way that helps international colleagues navigate them with ease.
Cultural insights for global teams
One of Saskia’s strengths is connecting big cultural concepts to everyday practice. She illustrates how Dutch people express trust, what they expect from leaders, how meetings unfold, and why clarity and honesty are valued so strongly. At the same time, she highlights how these traits differ from other cultures, offering balanced and practical guidance on bridging gaps.
Participants walk away with tools to improve communication, avoid misunderstandings and adapt their style when needed. Her approach supports smoother teamwork within global organisations and strengthens relationships with partners and clients abroad.
Author & cultural observer
Saskia has captured her insights in two books: Tutti frutti – het succes van kleurrijk en ondernemend Nederland and Onder de zeespiegel – samenwerken en samen leven met Nederlanders. These works reflect her deep curiosity about cultural identity and her ability to translate observations into clear and relatable narratives. They further establish her as one of the most prominent voices on Dutch culture in an international context.
Through her writing and her work on stage, Saskia continues to help people understand what makes Dutch culture unique and how to approach cultural differences with openness and curiosity. Her combination of research, lived experience and vivid storytelling makes her a powerful speaker for organisations seeking to strengthen global collaboration.
