Max Boon

Max Boon was an Associate Fellow at ICCT from 2012 - 2015 and continues to be involved in the Victims' Voices initiative as one of the founders of the Aliansi Indonesia Damai (Alliance for a Peaceful Indonesia, AIDA). He obtained his Master's Degree in Southeast Asian Affairs & Management at Leiden University (2002), specialising in Indonesian Political and Economic affairs. In 2004 Max set up and managed the office and operations of PA Asia (part of PA International) in Jakarta, Indonesia, focusing on public affairs advice to a wide range of clients, among which many multinationals but also national and local authorities (2004-2006). Subsequently he was involved as Editorial Manager in a political and business review of Indonesia by Oxford Business Group in Jakarta (2006-2007), and as project adviser for public affairs and communication by post-tsunami rebuilding efforts for Royal Dutch Haskoning group in Aceh (2007-2008). In 2008 Max joined Political and Economic Consultancy CastleAsia in Jakarta, advising CEOs of over 130 of Indonesia's largest corporations (2008-2010).

Since Max became a victim of the 2009 Marriott Jakarta terrorist bomb attack where he lost both his legs, he has been working with ICCT on countering violence extremism efforts, focusing on the role victims could and should play in this area. Together with a number of Indonesian community leaders, he has set up the AIDA Foundation in 2013. This Foundation empowers victims of terrorism to get involved in different levels and forms of outreach against violent extremism in Indonesia, for instance through outreach programmes during which victims and former violent extremists engage with high-school students to increase the understanding of the impact of political violence.

Click here for more information on AIDA and the Victims' Voices Project.