Jan Annaert earned his Ph.D. from the University of Antwerp (UA) in 1993. Currently, he is professor of finance at the Faculty of Applied Economics of the UA. He also has teaching responsibilities at the University of Antwerp Management School (UAMS). Between 1994 and 1997, he was post-doctoral research fellow of the Research Foundation - Flanders (FWO), he then became assistant professor at the Erasmus University of Rotterdam, and associate professor of investments at Ghent University. He also taught at the Vlerick Leuven Gent Management School from 1999 to 2006.

His research interests include portfolio theory, asset pricing, financial history and financial risk management. His research has been published in academic journals such as European Journal of Finance, European Journal of Operational Research, Explorations in Economic History, Insurance: Mathematics and Economics, International Review of Financial Analysis, Journal of Banking and Finance, Journal of Business Finance and Accounting, Journal of Multinational Financial Management, and Review of Finance.
In addition, he is editor of Kwartaalschrift Economie and member of the board of editors of Bank- en Financiewezen/Revue Bancaire et Financière.