Mr. Sietsma is a former Commander of the Criminal Investigation Department of the Netherlands Metropolitan Police Force. During his 22 years as a senior officer, he conducted large-scale international investigations which included homicides, kidnappings, extortions, terrorism and organized crime. He was also instrumental in helping initiate several new law enforcement developments in the Netherlands such as crime analysis and undercover police management.

In 1987 the Queen of The Netherlands appointed Mr. Sietsma to Knight of the Order of Oranje Nassau on request of the then Dutch Attorney General.

Upon retirement in 1988, Mr. Sietsma joined the private sector where he became Director of Security for an international electronics company and, later, Director for a U.K.-based risk management corporation. In 2002, the Netherlands State Commission appointed him Project Manager for the fact-finding inquiry into the assassination of the Dutch politician Pim Fortuyn.

In addition to kidnap & ransom and crisis management consulting, Mr. Sietsma often serves as a guest lecturer at various universities in the Netherlands and abroad. He has also published several papers on the subject of crisis and security management.