Annabel Sels

Professional affiliations

•  Vice Chair Education, Dept. MSI (Managerial Economics/Management, Strategy & Innovation)

•       Assistant Professor, KU Leuven FEB (Faculty of Economics & Business - Campus Brussels, Belgium (2013-date)

•       Guest Lecturer International Business Strategy, Université Libre de Bruxelles (ULB), Solvay Brussels School of Economics and Management – International Business Strategy Course, 2014-2015; 2019-2021, 2024-2025

•       Guest Professor Strategy, UHasselt, FEB, School of Expert Education, 2020-

•  Assistant Professor Vlekho, HUB, KU Leuven, 2006-2013

•       Marie Curie Fellow, Tilburg University, CentER, 2002-2006

•       Assistant Professor, Tilburg University, Department of Organization and Strategy, 2001-2002

•       Scientific Collaborator at Leuven Centre for Economics & Ethics, Faculty of Economics and Business, KU Leuven, 1999-2000

•       Scientific Collaborator at FEB, KU Leuven, Department of Managerial Economics and Strategy, 1992-1999

Fields of research interests

International business; Mergers and Acquisitions, board diversity and firm performance, FDI screening, Headquarter subsidiary relationships;  Health care applications (in operations management), health economics, managerial economics, cultural economics

Main university education

• Ph.D. in Business Administration from Tilburg University, topic: ‘Foreign direct investment as an entry mode – An application in the emerging economies of Central and Eastern Europe’, CentER, Tilburg University Dissertation Series, no. 168, 2006.

•  Graduate in International Studies, Johns Hopkins University, Paul H. Nitze School of Advanced International Studies, Bologna Center, major: European studies, Magna cum laude, 1991-1992

•    Academic Teacher’s Degree, 1991, Magna cum laude

•     Master of Science in Applied Economics, KU Leuven University, cum laude (79%), including fourth-year Erasmus exchange semester at Christian-Albrechts-Universität Kiel, 1991

• pre-university: Latin-Mathematics, Heilig Hart Heverlee, 79%, 1984-1987, Latin-Greek, Sancta-Maria-Instituut, Ronse, 1981-1984

 Grants

• National Fund for Scientific Research Flanders, sabbatical, topic: (Whither) Protectionism, 01.08.2022-31.3.2023

• Marie post-doc Curie Fellowship, European Commission, at Tilburg University, 2002-2006

• PhD Grant of the Belgian Fund for Scientific Research (NFWO); 1994-1999

Languages

Dutch:  mother tongue

English:  effective operational proficiency, C1  

French: effective operational proficiency, C1 

German:  effective operational proficiency, C1

Italian: effective operational proficiency , C1

Spanish: upper intermediate, B2

Polish:  intermediate, B2

Teaching area

Master's: International Business Strategy, Faculté Solvay Brussels School of Economics and Management, Université Libre de Bruxelles: International Business Strategy, 2014-2015; 2019-

Executive: Strategy. Hasselt University, Postgraduate in Business Management, 2021-

KU Leuven, FEB, Brussels

KU Leuven, FEB (Faculty of Economics & Management)

•       International Business Strategy, Master of Business Administration and Master of International Business Economics & Management, Master in International Business, 2008- present

•       Strategic Management, 2018-2020

•       Interdisciplinary Lab in Strategy, Innovation & Entrepreneurship, Graduate, 2018-

•       Multinationals and the European Institutions, Undergraduate, 2014-present

•       Managerial Economics, 2013-2017

•   Introduction to Management, 2013-2017

•       Introduction to Management, Graduate, 2008- 2018

•       Business Economics, Graduate, 2008-2013 

•       Comparative International Management, Graduate, 2008-2013 

•       International Economics, Graduate, 2006-2010 

•       International Management, Graduate, 2006-2008 

•       Workshop International Management, Graduate, 2006-2008 

Vice Chair Education of MSI (Management, Strategy and Innovation), Research Unit, FEB Brussels (2024- )

 Coordinator BAES (Bachelor of European Studies) for the Faculty of Economics and Business for KU Leuven, (Una Europa organized programme of KU Leuven in collaboration with Universita degli Studii Bologna, Complutense Madrid, Jagiellonski Krakow)

Tilburg University

•       Theory of Economic Organization, Undergraduate, 2001-2006

•       Organization and Strategy II, Graduate, 2001-2005 

Flanders Business School (currently KU Leuven / FEB, Campus Carolus, Flanders Business School),  Antwerp):

Managerial Economics, Post- Graduate, 2001-2006

KU Leuven, FEB: Principles of International Business, 1996-1999

Johns Hopkins University, Bologna Center: International Monetary Economics as teaching assistant of Andrea Bolto, 1991-1992  

Consultancy

Advisor of the management team for many SMEs and affiliates of MNEs since 2006- mainly in the Netherlands, Belgium, Germany, the UK and Ireland

List of publications

Sels, A.T., Ding, H..(2024). The impact of formal institutions and technological prowess on Asian cross-border M&A completion, presented at the EIBA European International Business Association, Helsinki, 12 Dec; 2024-15 Dec. 2024.

Sels, A., Tsamitros, A. (2023). The impact of diversity on Japanese Post-merger or acquisition organizational performance and employee productivity. Presented at the EIBA European International Business Association, Lissabon, 15 Dec 2023-17 Dec 2023.

Sels, A. (2022). The impact of public policy on Asian M&A completion in EU28 targets.(AbstractNo. https://www.conftool.org/eiba2022/index.php?page=browseSessions&form_session=576)

Presented at the EIBA European International Business Academy Conference, Oslo Norwegian Business School, 08 Dec 2022-10 Dec 2022.

Sels, A., Li, S. (2021). Do institutional differences and high tech raise the bar for M&A deal completion between Asian acquirers and their EU28 targets? In: EIBA 47th edition Conference Proceedings, (1-49). Presented at the European International Business Academy, Madrid, 10 Dec 2021-12 Dec 2021. ISBN: 978-84-09-39058-8.

Sels, A. (2019). The effect of political affinity and regional footprint on the location of U.S. greenfield establishments. Presented at the European International Business Association, Leeds, 13 Dec 2019-16 Dec 2019.

De Beule, F., Sels, A. (2016). Do innovative emerging market cross-border acquirers create more shareholder value? Evidence from India. International Business Review,25 (2),604-617.

Mulier, J.,De Boeck, L.,Meulders, M.,Belien, J.,Colpaert, J.,Sels, A.(2015). Factors determining the smooth flow and the non-operative time in a one-induction room to one-operating room setting. Journal of Evaluation in Clinical Practice, 21(2),205-214.

Sels, A., Roozen, I., Schellekens, L. (2014). Do subsidiaries need more autonomy in marketing advertising? Annual EIBA Conference, Uppsala, Sweden, 11-13 December 2014. Proceedings of the 40th Annual EIBA Conference: Transnational firms, markets and institutions (on usb).University of Uppsala.

De Beule, F.,Sels, A.(2013).Innovative capabilities of Indian companies in cross-border acquisitions.In: Feddersen, J. (Ed.), Lundan, S.(Ed.), Proceedings of the 39th Annual EIBA Conference: Transnational firms, markets and institutions (on usb).EIBA Annual Conference.Bremen, Germany,12-14 December 2013 (art.nr.B.2.C.2/298) (pp. 1-21). Bremen: EIBA-Zentra-Universität Bremen.

Kelchtermans, S., Eyckmans, J., Coucke, K., Sels, A., Neicu, D., Cheung, C., Vanormelingen, S. (2010). Monitoring markets & sectors: Indicators for market monitoring. Monitoring Markets and Sectors Project. International Expert Workshop. Brussels (Belgium), 26 March 2010.

Book chapter:

Sels, A. (2009). To acquire or to start up. In: , Bedrijf & Taal. Business and Language. Leuven: Peeters, 169-189.

Book: 

Sels, Annabel T.H., L. Bouckaert. (2001). Waarden-in-conflict. Meting van waardenconflicten bij zelfstandig ondernemers en land-en tuinbouwers. (Values-in conflict.  Measurement of value conflicts among SMEs and farmers.) Acco, Leuven. 

Papers at international conferences and symposia, published in full in proceedings

Sels, Annabel; Ding, H. 2024. The Impact of Formal Institutions and Technological Prowess on Asian Cross-border M&A Completion. https://www.conftool.org/eiba2024/index.php?page=browseSessions&presentations=hide&search=sels; 2024 Publisher: EIBA CONFERENCE; Aalto 

Sels, Annabel; 2023. The impact of diversity on Japanese Post-merger or acquisition organizational performance and employee productivity. Presented at the EIBA European International Business Association, Lissabon, 15 Dec 2023-17 Dec 2023. 

Sels, Annabel;van Aarle, Bas; 2023. Economic relations between Ireland and the Benelux Identifying future economic opportunities for Ireland in the Benelux region. Economic relations between Ireland and the Benelux Identifying future economic opportunities for Ireland in the Benelux region; 2023 

Sels, Annabel; 2022. The impact of public policy on Asian M&A completion in EU28 targets. Presented at the EIBA European International Business Academy Conference, Oslo Norwegian Business School, 08 Dec 2022-10 Dec 2022. Publisher: EIBA online Conference Proceedings 

Sels, Annabel;Li, Sanyi; 2021. Do institutional differences and high tech raise the bar for M&A deal completion between Asian acquirers and their EU28 targets?. EIBA 47th edition Conference Proceedings; 2021; pp. 1 - 49 Publisher: EIBA

Sels, A. 2019. The effect of political affinity and regional footprint on investors reactions towards  U.S. regional headquarters greenfield investments, European International Business Academy, Leeds, 12-15 December.

Sels, A. 2016. Impact of dimensions of country context distance on devolution from HQs towards subsidiaries. European International Business Academy, Vienna, 2-4 December.

Sels, A., Roozen, I., Schellekens, L. 2014. Do subsidiaries need more autonomy in marketing advertising?. In : The 40th EIBA Conference, European International Business Academy, 40. EIBA-conference. Uppsala, Sweden, 11-13 December.

De Beule, F., Sels, A. 2013. Innovative capabilities of Indian companies in crossborder acquisitions. In : Proceedings of the 39th Annual EIBA Conference: Transnational firms, markets and institutions (on usb), (Feddersen, J., Lundan, S. (Eds.)). EIBA Annual Conference. Bremen, Germany, 12-14 December 2013 (pp. 1-21). Bremen: EIBA-Zentra-Universität Bremen.

Research projects with external funding

Sels, A., Van Aarle, B. (2024). Opportunities for Irish companies in the Benelux. Grant from the Irish Embassies in the Benelux.

Sels, A. Whither Protectionism. FWO Grant (Fund for Scientific Research, Flanders) (3H220370), 1.09.2022-31.03.2023

Kelchtermans, S., Eyckmans, J., Coucke, K., Sels, A., Neicu, D., Cheung, C., Vanormelingen, S. (2010). Monitoring markets & sectors: Indicators for market monitoring. Monitoring Markets and Sectors Project. AGORA-MMS Project, FOD Economics, Belgium, 2010.

Colpaert, J., Praet, A., Sels, A., Vekeman, A. (2013). De boekhandel en het aankoopbeleid van bibliotheken, 126 p. External report for the Agency for SocialCultural Work for Youth and Adults, Flemish Ministry of Culture

Journals Reviewing for

International Business Review 

International Journal of Management Reviews

Journal of Management Studies

Pass time & Board memberships

Historical tourist guide of the city of Leuven, Leuven Plus, since 1997-

President KU Leuven Alumni Association Regio Brussel/Brussels Chapter, 2020-

Board Member Alumni Johns Hopkins University, SAIS (School of Advanced International Studies), Brussels Chapter, 2020-

Board Member Ekonomika Alumni KU Leuven - Strategy and Marketing and Brussels Chapter

Gardening

Tennis

Studying programming languages, AI applications, and studying living languages