Marijke Leliveld, Isabel Estrada and Rieneke Slager appointed as Aletta Jacobs Professors

The Faculty of Economics and Business (FEB) is proud to announce that Marijke Leliveld, Isabel Estrada and Rieneke Slager have been appointed as professors. The appointments are within the context of the Aletta Jacobs incentive fund. 

Consumer Ethics

Marijke Leliveld has been appointed as Professor of Consumer Ethics within FEB’s Department of Marketing. The chair was established to study when and why people make (financial) decisions to further the greater good instead of pursuing their self-interest. One of Leliveld’s main topics of focus will be examining and developing data-driven fundraising strategies to enable charities to make more effective decisions. Another one of Leliveld’s main research topics is sustainable fashion, for which she recently received external funding.

Leliveld joined FEB as assistant professor in 2008 and became an associate professor in 2021. Before joining FEB, she obtained a PhD in Social and Organizational Psychology at Leiden University. Leliveld looks forward to continuing her research and teaching as a full professor. “As a first generation academic, I had never heard of the concept “PhD” until my 4th year of study and had no idea that an academic career could also be an option. I find it an absolute honor to now be appointed as professor and follow into the footsteps of Aletta Jacobs. Thank you to all the wonderful people that have supported me in my academic journey so far.’’

Collaboration Strategy

Isabel Estrada has been appointed as Professor of Collaboration Strategy within FEB’s Department of Innovation Management & Strategy. The chair focuses on the strategic approach to building, governing, and creating value through collaborations between organizations. Inter-organizational collaborations are on the rise. At the same time, they are becoming increasingly complex. More and more collaborations combine multiple goals, such as the pursuit of business profit and social value, which creates significant challenges for the cooperation. Organizations need guidance to future-proof their collaboration strategies.

Estrada joined FEB as an assistant professor in 2012 and became an associate professor in 2018. Before joining FEB, she obtained a PhD in Business Administration at the University of Valladolid. Her PhD position was co-funded by the European Social Fund and the Regional Government of Castilla y Leon and Estrada received the ‘Distinguished Doctoral Dissertation in Social Sciences Award’ (2012-2013) for her dissertation. Estrada is honored to be appointed as Aletta Jacobs professor. “I am excited for the opportunity to contribute to FEB's education, research and impact activities on these important topics and deepen my work at the Department of Innovation Management & Strategy. I look forward to exploring opportunities to connect within the Northern Netherlands, and to collaborate with colleagues within and outside of FEB, including fellow Aletta Jacobs professors on, for example, initiatives to promote a supportive academic community.”

International Sustainability Management

Rieneke Slager has been appointed as Professor of International Sustainability Management within FEB’s Department of Global Economics and Management. This chair was established to study stewardship, an approach to sustainability management and sustainable investing that focuses on long-term purpose and systemic impact. Stewardship is about taking good care of things out of a sense of obligation or duty to others. It requires a specific mind-set, but also appropriate governance structures. Her role as full professor, Slager will study the practices of various organizations, including established financial institutions as well as new start-ups, that have developed a stewardship approach. She will relate these insights to a comparison of the governance structures that enable stewardship in various countries.

Slager joined FEB as an assistant professor in 2018 and became an associate professor in 2022. Before joining FEB, she worked as assistant professor at the University of Nottingham, where she also obtained her PhD in Management and Corporate Social Responsibility in 2012. Slager is excited to continue her research and teaching as a full professor. “I am particularly looking forward to the (continued) collaborations with colleagues across departments within FEB and other faculties, as I greatly enjoy working together on interdisciplinary research that contributes to solutions for the great societal challenges of our time.”