Willem J.M.I. Verbeke, Ph.D.
Academic Career
Willem Verbeke is currently an Emeritus Professor at Erasmus University Rotterdam, The Netherlands. He held the position of endowed professor of sales and account management at the Erasmus School of Economics (ESE) until December 2019. Verbeke was a research member at the ERIM Institute (Erasmus Research Institute of Management) from its inception (2000), remaining actively involved until his transition to emeritus professorship.
Education
- 1978: M.A. in Philosophy from the State University of Ghent, Belgium. His thesis was on Ludwig Wittgenstein's Philosophy.
- 1985: Ph.D. in Psychology in Education from the School of Education, University of Pennsylvania, USA.
Academic Career
Professor Verbeke's research includes growth theory in marketing, the configural approach to sales organizations, emotions (particularly self-conscious emotions) in marketing, social network theory, and knowledge-based marketing. He is known for integrating economics with neuroscience, endocrinology, and genetics to enhance sales and marketing strategies, utilizing advanced scientific methods like neuroimaging and genetic analysis.
His current research focuses include neuroeconomics, fMRI, and endocrinology-based studies. Professor Verbeke has published widely in major marketing, psychology, and organization behavior journals, including in nine of the Financial Times Top 50 Business Journals. He was the first professor at Erasmus to publish in the Journal of Marketing and has received over 12,000 citations, according to Google Scholar.
Awards and Recognition
- Best Paper Award, Journal of the Academy of Marketing Science (2012).
- AMA Sales SIG “Excellence in Research Award” (2012).
- Star Member of ERIM (2001-2020).
- Best paper award, Journal of the Academy of Marketing Science (2002).
- Nominated for Best Management Book of the Year, PIMS (2003).
- Nominated Teacher of the Year, School of Economics, Erasmus University Rotterdam (1999/2000).
- Nominated Best Speaker of the Year, Euroform, The Netherlands (1990).
Entrepreneurial Career
In addition to his academic pursuits, Verbeke has been successful in entrepreneurship. He co-founded Professional Capital with Maarten Colijn, a graduate of Erasmus University Rotterdam. The consultancy firm specializes in serving knowledge-intensive firms across Europe.
Awards
Professional Capital was awarded the FD Gazelle Award in multiple years: 2023, 2019, 2018, 2012, 2011, and 2010.
Public Appearances and Contributions
Verbeke served as the chairman of the committee for “The Commercial Manager of the Year” award from 1994 to 2005, under the Sales Management Association. He has given over 300 interviews to Dutch newspapers, business journals, and appeared on television and radio programs.
Sports
An avid runner, Verbeke has completed the Rotterdam Marathon nine times, achieving a sub-4-hour marathon in the 60+ category. He is also a passionate cyclist and served as the captain of the ESE sports team, leading them to victory in the first sports challenge at Erasmus University.