Marleen Dieleman has been appointed the first Peter Lorange Chair in Family Business. The Chair was created as a result of the integration of the Lorange Network into IMD’s global ecosystem in 2022.
As an expert on emerging market family businesses, Dieleman’s specialization encompasses a broad spectrum of areas within family enterprises, including strategy development, governance, legacy-building, entrepreneurship, internationalization, and business transformation. Additionally, she has a special interest in the maritime and commodity sectors.
“Family business is the most common type of organization in most of the world,” she said. “In emerging markets, it is not just the smaller but also the largest public and private firms that are predominantly family-controlled. Thus, it is safe to say that entrepreneurial business families play a significant role in the future of our economies and more broadly the future of our societies. Supporting the responsible entrepreneurship and healthy growth of family businesses is of utmost importance.”
Based at the Singapore campus, Dieleman will explore the intricate dynamics of family business on a global scale, with a particular focus on Asia.
“Business families face a complex set of challenges today, including designing their family and business governance, building a legacy to be proud of, transforming the business to meet the challenges of the future, and ensuring individual family members can develop themselves to the best of their abilities, she explained.
“I am excited to work with families to strengthen their ecosystem so they can continue to thrive and contribute to society.”
In her role as Peter Lorange Chair, Dieleman will collaborate closely with the IMD Global Family Business Center to navigate the complexities of family enterprises, help them foster unity, enhance governance, and develop leadership for long-term success.
“I am delighted with IMD’s decision to appoint Marleen Dielman as the Chair Peter Lorange Family Business,” said Peter Lorange, Professor Emeritus of Strategy and Honorary President of IMD. “Her expertise aligns closely with both my own interests and what have been key themes of Lorange Network so far.”
The Lorange Network was founded by Peter Lorange, Professor Emeritus of Strategy and Honorary President of IMD. As a primary architect responsible for the merger in 1990 between the International Management Institute (IMI) and Nestlé’s Institut pour l’Etude des Méthodes de Direction de l’Entreprise (IMEDE), he played an essential role in the creation of IMD. From 1993 to 2008, Lorange was IMD’s President, during which he made significant contributions to the development of the Lausanne campus by commissioning most of its new buildings. Additionally, he was also Professor of Strategy, occupied the Nestlé Chair for Strategy, and later held the Kristian Gerhard Jebsen Chair for International Shipping.
