It is with great sadness and consternation that the Ruhr-Universität Bochum (RUB), the Faculty of Management and Economics and the Institute of Management at the RUB, have to announce that

Professor em. Dr. Dr. h.c. mult. Walther Busse von Colbe

passed away on January 08, 2021 at the age of 92.

Professor Busse von Colbe held a chair in Management at the RUB from 1965 until his retirement in 1993, turning down calls to the universities of Zurich and Cologne.

With pioneering research and inspiring teaching, he left his mark on management, particularly in the areas of group accounting and enterprise valuation. He helped establish the Faculty of Management and Economics as one of its first professors and established its reputation through groundbreaking decisions. In addition to the Order of Merit 1st Class of the Federal Republic of Germany, his achievements have been recognized by honorary doctorates from the Aalto University School of Business and the University of Augsburg. His high level of professional and social competence provided generations of students and numerous scientists with the tools for their professional careers. Committed also to academic self-administration, he was several times Dean of the Faculty of Management and Economics, Vice Rector for Planning, Structure and Finances as well as member of the Standing Commission for questions of research and young academics of the German Rectors‘ Conference. He furthermore provided essential impulses as scientific director of the Institute of Management, of which he was one of the founding fathers for almost 60 years – several times also as managing director – and as long-time vice president and honorary member of the Schmalenbach Gesellschaft.

We will miss his enthusiasm for the subject and his human charisma. His efforts to build bridges between management theory and business world will remain an obligation for the faculty in the future. We will always honor his memory.