Wojciech Rybowski – the long-term President of GFKM – has passed away

With deep sadness and regret we announce that on 12th of September, Professor Wojciech Rybowski, the long-term President of the Gdańsk Foundation for Management Development, passed away. He was a great, charismatic leader and man. GFKM owes its development and prestige  to his passion and dedication.

Wojciech Rybowski, as the founder of the Gdańsk Foundation for Management Development, for many years served as the President of the Board of the Foundation. He was an economist, lecturer, sportsman and founder of the Gdańsk Business Club. Professor Wojciech Rybowski educated generations of managers. In 1971, he graduated in foreign sales at the University of Gdańsk, in 1975 he defended his doctorate and in 1984 – Habilitation.

In 2015, he was awarded the Knight’s Cross of the Order of Polonia Restituta by the President of Poland. The distinction was awarded for outstanding achievements in activities for the development of economy and entrepreneurship in Poland and for achievements in scientific work.

He worked as a senior assistant, assistant professor and associate professor at the University of Gdańsk (1974–87), Senior Lecturer at the South Pacific University in Fiji (1987–90), Visiting Assiociate Professor at the University of Lousiville in the USA (1991), Senior Lecturer at James Cook University in Australia (1991–1993). In the years 1997–2014 he was the chairman of the supervisory board of Bank Komunalny S.A., and then Nordea Bank Polska; where earlier he served as a member of the supervisory board. In the years 1998–2006 he was the president of STBU Brokerzy Ubezpieczeniowi, and in 2007–2010 the chairman of the supervisory board of STBU. From 2001 to 2019 he was the secretary general of the European League for Economic Cooperation, Poland.

Laureate of, among others “Golden Giraffe” (in 2002 and 2006), Medal of the President of Gdańsk (2005), “Pomeranian Eagle” (2005). He became the Businessman of the Year in 2006, and in 2011 he was awarded the European Honorary Medal.