Rafael Wilms

Rafael Wilms is an Assistant Professor at the Department of Management and Organisation at Vrije Universiteit Amsterdam, holding an additional appointment at the Amsterdam Sustainability Institute. He earned his PhD from the University of Siegen (Germany) in 2020. His research focuses on leadership (especially charismatic leadership), research methodology, and applied statistics. He teaches courses such as Leadership: Mobilizing People and Recruitment and Selection. He has led or contributed to projects like 'Could it really be me? Using personal deepfakes in charismatic leadership training' and engaged in consultancy through Code-V Report and Workshop.

Wilms' research explores topics such as leader-follower dynamics, charisma signals in leadership selection, and the longitudinal impacts of personality traits on career advancement. His work bridges theoretical contributions (e.g., new frameworks for leadership embeddedness) with applied statistical rigor (e.g., addressing omitted variable bias). His recent articles emphasize charismatic leadership’s boundary conditions, voice pitch effects in leadership perception, and personality’s role in promotions.

He maintains ancillary activities as a self-employed consultant and trainer since 2024, reflecting his commitment to practical applications of academic insights. His contributions align with UN Sustainable Development Goals, particularly through organizational and leadership research fostering equitable and effective institutions.