Bob Wessels (1949; PhD in Civil Law: Amsterdam 1988) was Professor of International Insolvency Law in Leiden (2007-2014) and of Civil and Commercial Law, Vrije University, Amsterdam (1988-2008). He acted as international consultant to the IMF, the World Bank and the European Commission in matters of resolution, rescue and insolvency of businesses. He advises with legal opinions or acted as an expert witness in European or international insolvency related questions in Dutch courts as well as in the courts of New York, London, Warsaw, Alexandria (Va., USA), Vienna, Dublin, Rhodes (Greece), Zürich, Los Angeles, Stockholm and Antwerp.

Published hundreds of articles in leading legal journals and (co-)authored some thirty books. Since 1999 he is the single author of: Wessels Insolventierecht (Wessels Insolvency Law), a 10 Volume series, published by Wolters Kluwer, The Netherlands. In the 4th edition, since 2013 six volumes have been published.

Formerly Visiting Professor at Johann Wolfgang Goethe University, Frankfurt (Institute for Law and Finance, 2003), University of Pretoria (2004), St. John’s University, New York (2006 – 2011) and Riga Graduate School of Law, Riga (2008 – 2012).

He furthermore is: Deputy Justice at the Court of Appeal in The Hague (since 1987); Member of the Joint Board of Appeal of the three European Supervisory Authorities (ESAs; ESMA, EBA and EIOPA respectively) (since 2013); past Chairman of the Netherlands Association for Comparative and International Insolvency Law (NACIIL) and past Chairman of the Academic Forum of INSOL Europe.

His research project in Luxembourg concerns the complex interaction between (near to) insolvent commercial debtors, appointed insolvency practitioners and advisors concerned and courts in national or cross-border rescues and insolvencies. Part of his research will be used for the European Law Institute’s project to draft a Legislative Guide for Business rescue in insolvency in Europe. His research can be followed via posts on his blog, see www.bobwessels.nl.