Career
After studying composition at the Conservatorium van Amsterdam, he became a journalist. While working for Dutch public broadcaster Vereeniging van Arbeiders Radio Amateurs he had been stationed in Beirut during the height of the Lebanese Civil War, where he was kidnapped and endured a lengthy period of incarceration. In 1990s, during his stay in Baku, Azerbaijan, van der Leeuw wrote several books on the Caucasus oil industry and regional history while contributing to local newspapers including Caspian Business News.
He remained a major regional correspondent after moving to Kazakhstan where he is now editorial manager of Caspian Publishing House.
