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About us - Houston Hub

The Houston Chapter was started in the second part of 2009. Since then it has been able to organize several events individually and in cooperation with the local Trade Representation of Brussels Export/AWEX. There were events around Nano technology in cooperation with Rice University research’ centre, an Introduction to Oil Trading by Shell Trading, an overview of legal and commercial aspects of Shale gas with the Thompson & Knight Law firm and a talk on Politics and Economics of International Energy by Professor William B. Arnold. The Chapter was also able to organize a advisory event for a Belgian company with the ambition to grow its US operations.

Team

Kristof Abbeloos Chairman Belcham Houston

Kristof works at Shell Trading in Houston as Business Development Manager for the Americas, before he worked for Shell International Department in The Hague and was Regional Advisor on Ukraine, Central Asia and Pakistan. He started his career at Shell as an analyst and portfolio manager Emerging Market Bond Investments at Shell Asset Management Company in Rijswijk.

Before joining Shell Kristof worked in several government related business roles in Belgium, Ireland, P.R. China, Hong Kong and India. Kristof did legal studies at Catholic University of Leuven, Universidad de Salamanca and Catholic University of Brussels, business studies at Vlerick Leuven Ghent Management School and Chinese University of Hong Kong and International Relations studies at John Hopkins University School of Advanced International Studies. Next to chairing the Belgian American Chamber of Commerce Houston Chapter he is member of Rotary Club Houston and the Belgian Club. He is married to his beautiful wife Madoka and likes reading, gastronomy and squash.

Edwin Zeelmaekers Vice Chairman Belcham Houston

Edwin has been a Houston resident since 2008, when he joined Chevron ETC as the lab supervisor of their Mineral Analysis Laboratory. In February 2011 he will join Shell Front End Studies, also in Houston. Before relocating to the USA, Edwin worked as a PhD researcher at the University of Leuven and the Polish Academy of Sciences in Krakow (Poland), specializing in quantitative mineral analysis and clay mineralogy. By training Edwin is a geologist, receiving his Master’s degree from the University of Leuven. He is married to his beautiful wife Iwona and has one young son, James. Edwin has a wide variety of interests and enjoys travelling, the outdoors, fine dining and spending quality time with his family and friends.





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