Hartmut Leser

Prof. Hartmut Leser is an Honorary Professor at WHU – Otto Beisheim School of Management since November 2017 and a WHU Senior Fellow since April 2015. He holds a Diplom-Volkswirt, Master of Economics, and a PhD from Saarland University (1990). His career spans over three decades in asset management, including roles as CEO of abrdn Investments Deutschland AG (2010–2022), expanding it into Germany's largest foreign asset management firm. Currently, he serves as Partner and CIO of FREO Group and CEO of FREO Germany GmbH (since 2022), before transitioning to non-executive directorships in 2024.

Prof. Leser teaches Asset Management in WHU's Master and MBA programs and supports internships and thesis supervision. He has contributed to industry conferences like the Campus for Finance – WHU New Year’s Conferences and holds leadership positions in prominent financial institutions.