Based in Brussels, Belgium <http://www.visitbelgium.com/> , Jean-Jacques Degroof is a philanthropist, private equity investor, a business consultant, a university lecturer, and an Affiliate Researcher at the MIT Industrial Performance Center and the Catholic University of Louvain. His interests include innovation management, entrepreneurship, and local economic development. After returning to Belgium from the United States in 2005, Jean-Jacques Degroof <https://www.behance.net/Jean-JacquesDegroof> participated in a study that advised the regional government of Wallonia concerning its policies in support of business spin-offs. He writes for such publications as Science Technology Review, published in France by the Organisation for Economic Co-Operation and Development. Dr. Degroof also serves as a member of the editorial committee of a French management journal, “Revue Entreprendre-Innover.” Additionally, his business activities in the last few years have included the financial support of three technology spin-off ventures. Aside from his professional activities, Dr. Degroof oversees a charitable foundation, the asbl Jean Degroof-Marcel Van Massenhove, which addresses housing problems faced by the low-income elderly.

Jean-Jacques Degroof <http://be.linkedin.com/pub/jean-jacques-degroof/a/79/280> completed his undergraduate studies in applied economics and management at the Catholic University of Louvain. Dr. Degroof later attained his Master’s in Labor Studies at the Catholic University of Louvain. Moving to the United States, he earned both a Master’s and a Ph.D. in Management from the Sloan School of Management at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT). Dr. Degroof’s doctoral thesis was entitled, “Spinning off Ventures from Academic Institutions Outside High Tech Entrepreneurial Areas.”

After serving in the military, Jean-Jacques Degroof began his financial services career as a banking trainee at Brown Brothers Harriman, JP Morgan <http://www.jpmorgan.com/pages/jpmorgan> , and European American Bank. Upon his return to Europe, he continued his training at Générale de Banque (now BNP Fortis Bank), where he was later appointed to the position of Credit Analyst. Hired by the Banque Degroof, he assumed the position of Human Resources Manager and Private Banking Manager, in which he performed personnel duties, as well as investor relations, client portfolio management, estate planning, and product development. Among his achievements during his seven years in this position, Jean-Jacques Degroof created the first balanced fund in Belgium.

* Jean-Jacques Degroof on Twitter <http://twitter.com/JeanJDegroof>
* Jean-Jacques Degroof | Academia <http://mit.academia.edu/JeanJacquesDegroof>