Business & Management Faculty

Dr. Amer Al Ansari obtained his MD diploma in medicine and surgery from Iraqi Medical College in 1978. Then he practiced medicine in Iraqi hospitals for three years. In 1981, Dr. Al Ansari left for Belgium/ Louvain University for postgraduate studies. In 1986 he obtained his PhD in Medical Neurosciences. From 1986 till 1993 Dr. Al Ansari offered neuroscience courses to medical students in Iraqi universities. In 1993, he joined Utrecht University (Utrecht Medical Center UMC) and worked mainly as researcher in Rudolf Magnus Institute for Neurosciences in addition to education. His work in UMC was concentrated on higher brain functions, learning and memory, addiction, and perception. Amer obtained his professor title in 2007. In 2004 he left the Netherlands to the Kingdom of Bahrain to join the Arabian Gulf University as a member (and later in 2013 a head) of the Department of Physiology. In addition to teaching neuroscience, he was actively involved in research mainly focused on memory, learning, motor coordination and perception. He worked also as consultant doctor in the Bahrain Defense Force (BDF) hospital in the department of Neuroscience from 2009 till 2020. Al Ansari joined Webster Leiden Campus in 2020 and taught the Clinical Psychopharmacology course. His research work of approximately 80 original articles has been published in many international journals

Photo by Wittenborg Portraits

Arie T. Barendregt, PhD, has been active in business-to-business sales and marketing management in Europe and the USA since 1980, with almost 40 years of experience in various industries. Barendregt is now an independent entrepreneur with his own company Stracom Intelligence, helping Dutch companies to structure their strategy, strategic marketing, operational marketing and sales activities, enter new markets and launch products. He gives lectures, seminars and trainings about strategy, sales, marketing, and competitive intelligence to companies. He has published about strategy, marketing, and competition in several Dutch magazines. Barendregt completed his MBA with distinction at Kingston University in the UK in 1996. In May 2008 he received the highest Dutch marketing title RM, Register Marketer, from the European Marketing Certification Foundation. He obtained his doctorate degree in Business Administration at Kingston University in the UK in January 2011, with the thesis, ‘Do Small Enterprises Study their Competitors?’ Arie has been lecturing since 1997 in the MBA, MA, and BA programs of Webster Leiden Campus, the IBEB BA, as well as MSc Marketing programs of the Erasmus University School of Economics, the MBA program of Wittenborg University at Apeldoorn and Amsterdam, as well as the MBA program of NTI at Leiden University. He supervises BA and MBA theses and bachelor’s internships at both Erasmus University and HAN, the Hogeschool Arnhem and Nijmegen, and is a certified examiner.

Steven Carnes is an independent consultant and serial entrepreneur who focuses on mission-critical projects for multinational corporations, primarily in the aerospace, automotive, energy and life sciences sectors in addition to M&A work (due diligence, valuations, and integration) for various PE groups. His academic studies includes an MBA from the Kellogg School, two master's degrees in robotics (Northwestern University and University of California at San Diego) and an international foreign exchange at Erasmus University.

He has taught various courses ranging from computer science (National University) to marketing, logistics, and finance (Rotterdam School of Business) in addition to numerous workshops on strategy (competitive analysis), market research and Go-To-Market roadmaps, financial valuations, and LEAN/6-Sigma Operations improvement. His corporate experience includes consulting at Deloitte & Touche, NASA, and independent projects across 15+ industries including 3-1/2 years in Asia and 7+ years in Europe.

His passions include interim turnaround management, clean energy, robotics and technology transfers/commercialization.

Sukai Ceesay is a serial social entrepreneur, an EQ Master Trainer, and a start-up investor in Europe and West Africa. She is an active member and champion of the Startup Community in Amsterdam and Den Haag. She is also an advocate for "universal" human values, women's education and achievement of financial independence.

Ceesay holds a bridge-study Master of Industrial Engineering from The University of Michigan and EMU, and an Executive MBA from, Harvard Business School.

Ceesay is the Founder/CEO of Royal Blue & Orange International Trading, after 14 years at Domino's Pizza, LLC as a senior management responsible for Europe, Middle East and Africa. She is also the founder of AVIM Leadership Consulting and of a unique nonprofit organization called Global Village Children (GVC).

Marcel de Lijster is the business owner of “Down 2 Earth Dutch,” With his company, he helps organizations to build programs for skills management and lifelong learning that support the continued employability of employees. Before becoming an entrepreneur, Marcel de Lijster worked in the financial industry as a banker.

He has 27 years of working experience in the financial industry, for 23 of which he held leadership and management positions. He worked at one of the largest banks in Holland. He can be branded as a real people manager. He is also an “acknowledged” coach and helps people with their personal and career development. He has experience and knowledge of strategic management, organizational behavior, leadership, change management, risk management, and financial control.

He holds an MBA degree with an emphasis on Management from Webster Leiden Campus. He has been a member of the Webster faculty since 2004 and teaches courses in Organizational Behavior, Management, Managerial Leadership, Decision Making, and Strategic Management.

Specialization: International Management, Marketing

Yang Fan, PhD, specializes in strategic and international management, with focus on strategic partnerships and collaborative innovation. Before joining Webster, she taught strategic management and international business at both undergraduate and graduate levels at Rotterdam School of Management, Erasmus University. She also supervised student’s theses, internships and consultancy projects. Prior to joining academia, she worked in the fields of sales and marketing in FMCG and in the consulting industry. Fan did her doctorate at London Business School on strategic & international management, her master's at Manchester Business School on international business & management, and her bachelor's at Shanghai Jiao Tong University on English literature and business studies.

Christine Fitzgerald, MA, has been a Senior Adjunct Professor of Psychology and Management at Webster University since 1985, and was head of department of Behavioral and Social Sciences from 1992-1999 and from 2000-2003. Since May 2021, she has been the Director of Business Psychology for the Haarlem University of Applied Sciences and is a member of its Education Board and Exam Board. In 2018, she joined the Global School for Entrepreneurship as the senior learning coach, confidential advisor, and member of the Exam Board. She served on the Management Team at Wittenborg University of Applied Sciences and has taught at several Dutch universities, including the New Business School in Amsterdam, where she directed the coaching program and lectured in applied psychology; and Nyenrode University, where she served nine years as assistant professor of marketing. Her corporate experience includes a professional post at Chemical Bank in New York City, where she worked in marketing research, strategic long-term planning, project management, and corporate training. A magna cum laude graduate of Pace University, Fitzgerald received her MA in developmental psychology from Columbia University. She is the recipient of the Prince Fellow Award for Distinguished Excellence in Teaching, the Pace University Award for Excellence in Psychology, and the Percy H. Johnson Award for Academic Excellence and was a three-time nominee for the William T. Kemper Award for Excellence in Teaching (2009-2010, 2004-2005 and 1999-2000). She continues to be an independent consultant, coach, and public speaker who has provided business education in North America, Europe, and Asia.

Sinéad Hewson, PhD, completed her doctoral degree in TU Dublin, Ireland, researching decision-making when communication is at the heart of an organization’s strategy development. Her background is in health, business, and communication, with specialization in co-opetition, group dynamics and gender equity. Based in the Netherlands, Hewson is a former Board Member of the European Institute of Women’s Health and online mental health charity turn2me, and former Chair of Education for the Public Relations Institute of Ireland. She sits on the advisory board of Women’s Business Initiative International. Sinead is an adjunct professor at Webster Leiden Campus, a guest lecturer at TU Dublin and Rotterdam University of Applied Sciences, and an international speaker.

Tjebbo Kessler, MBA, MP, MFA, has an academic background in General Economics (University of Amsterdam), Business Administration (Bocconi University of Milan) and Financial Services Management (Financial Planning: Erasmus University of Rotterdam) and Investment Analysis: VU University of Amsterdam). After graduation, Kessler started his career as an investment banker with NIBC in the Hague, where he was responsible for loan and equity investments in The Netherlands and Eastern Europe. He started out as an entrepreneur in 2000. His experience comprises trade intermediation in Italy, co-founding a Financial Services company in Antwerp, venturing in Eastern Europe, and a start-up Fintech company in the Hague and Brussels. Since 2007, Kessler has been an active lecturer, thesis supervisor and internship supervisor. His lecturing experience comprises financial management, innovation management and entrepreneurship. In recent years, Kessler has taken increasing interest in the impact of the human factor in business development and has become an accredited coach. As a consultant to MSE companies and an active member of the Dutch Mentor Community (linked to WorldStartup), he is involved with challenges that startup companies and second-stage development SME's face.

Charlene Lambert’s interest in foreign languages was instrumental in developing her desire for an international career. She earned a BA in Modern Languages from St. Mary's College, Notre Dame, Indiana, a master's in planning from the University of Ottawa, Canada, and a certificate in economic development from the University of Waterloo, Canada. She has worked for the past 20 years in the fields of international city marketing, foreign direct investment, regional economic development, and entrepreneurship for organizations in both Canada and the Netherlands.

As an appointed member of the European-funded research program COST (Cooperation in Science and Technology), she is participating in the study to strengthen interdisciplinary research.

Tom Lupo, PhD, specializes in value chains/networks with a focus on operating model, technology and organization. As a consultant and interim manager, he supported large companies in improving and innovating their business and operations for 20 years, while also helping students and colleagues become passionate about the theory behind their practice. Lupo earned a PhD in Supply Chain Management within an international program coordinated by the University of Bergamo (Italy), Zaragoza Logistics Center (Spain), MIT (USA), and Bocconi Business School (Italy).

Truus Poels, PhD, is an experienced leader in human resource management, change management and organizational development. She worked as head of HR, CHRO and senior management consultant with all aspects of business improvement, human resources, and change projects in a variety of organizations, including multinationals and global companies. She holds a PhD in Administrative and Organizational Science from Utrecht University, the Netherlands. A model of organizational rhythmics was developed in her PhD thesis, Rhythmics of Organizational Change. She is founder and chairperson of the Innovation Platform Rhythmics of Organizational Change (I-RO). This foundation conducts research on the rhythm of organizational change. I-RO develops practical and useful rhythmic instruments, for more effective and successful change processes. Truus has worked for several universities including the Vrije Universiteit Amsterdam, Royal Netherlands Defense College and Antwerp Management School Belgium. Truus is currently a professor in the graduate programs of Webster Leiden Campus and professor of HRM, Leadership and Change Management in the Executive MBA program of the European Institute for Procurement Management (EIPM), Geneva/Shanghai. She also works as a developer, lecturer, and supervisor for LOI University, the Netherlands.

Andreas Rambow is an educational leader, coach, and consultant with more than 20 years of experience in higher education. His academic interests are in accounting, finance, economics, and leadership. He has an MBA from Marymount University and is currently pursuing a terminal degree.

Golam Robbani has a PhD in Applied Economics from the University of Antwerp (Belgium), and is a senior adjunct faculty member of Webster University (Leiden campus). Currently he is teaching finance, accounting, and economics at the Department of International Business at The Hague University of Applied Sciences. He obtained his Master of Finance and Banking from the University of Rajshahi (Bangladesh), his MBA from the Asian Institute of Management (Philippines), and his Master of International Law and Economics from the World Trade Institute of the University of Bern (Switzerland). Robbani previously taught at the University of Rajshahi (Bangladesh) and at Maastricht University (Netherlands). Apart from these, he has extensive experience teaching short courses in Suriname, UK (Liverpool University-online), Germany, and China. Given his multidisciplinary background, his research interests include Finance (Fintech), Regional Integration, Interstate Conflict, International Political Economy (of Asia), Good Governance, Global Governance, Brexit, and the US-China Trade War.

Sandrine Suman, MA, teaches human resource management, career development and operations management courses, supervises senior theses and internships, and is the Career Planning & Development Officer at Webster Leiden Campus. She received her MA in Management and Leadership from Webster University Leiden in 2014. She earned her BA in European Studies from the University of Hull, UK in 1993 and spent time at the University of Pisa studying art history and international relations. Suman’s background is in aviation, having worked at Amsterdam Airport Schiphol for an international ground handling company in various roles for 17 years. During her years as manager of  Passenger Services, she was responsible for all customer facing departments. In this capacity, she managed passenger services operations and human resources strategically and tactically and has extensive experience in multidisciplinary projects to improve inter- and intra-organizational processes. Currently, she works as an instructor at The Hague Graduate School, teaching their Change Management and Human Experience course, as well as coordinating the Leadership & Personal Development learning paths, and supervising master’s theses. At VU Amsterdam, her teaching focuses on career development courses in the Faculty of Science. As the career planning & development officer at Webster Leiden Campus, she supports students, recent graduates and alumni with their transition to the world of work, and with finding (new) career path and opportunities and facilitates career-focused workshops and events.

Madeleine van der Steege, MA, is adjunct professor at Webster University, Leiden in the Business Department, and an award-winning female entrepreneur. She is co-author and managing editor of three Emerald Book publications in the field of leadership (Visionary Leadership in a VUCA World, 2017; Exceptional Leadership by Design, 2018; Women Courageous, Leading through the Labyrinth, 2022). Her key interests are entrepreneurship, leadership, qualitative research methods and diversity (gender, generation, cultural). She acts as a business catalyst for international companies setting up in the Netherlands. van der Steege is also the founder and coordinator of the Business Women Teylingen network.

Bernadette van Houten has an academic background in communication, with later specialization in intercultural theory, methodology, and medical anthropology. She has lived and worked in the USA, Guatemala, and Aruba. She has had extended training and advising missions in Mexico, Thailand, Kazakhstan, Vietnam, Indonesia, and Lithuania.

Van Houten is the director of Consultants Intercultural Communication in Amsterdam. She coaches managers for international assignments and facilitates international teams throughout the world. She lectures and facilitates seminars on intercultural and diversity management for universities throughout Europe. She is a member of the International Academy of Intercultural Research. She has been a faculty member of the Webster Leiden Campus since 1998.

Marjon van Opijnen, MBA, holds degrees in Business Administration and Applied Ethics. She runs her own somatic therapy practice and develops embodied leadership programs. Since 2000, her focus has been on social sustainability and justice in the Netherlands, Europe, Africa, and Asia. In various positions, she operated on operational and strategic levels within organizations and in relation with external stakeholders. In her educational work, she brings together her coaching experience and broad knowledge about sustainability and systems change, allowing her to bring people and companies together and motivate parties to work on integral sustainable business practices. In the learning process with students, she aims to facilitate the learning experience at different levels, bringing together knowledge, action, and embodied learning. Her goal is to bring the best talents and ideas out of people.