Gunter Dufey, professor emeritus of corporate strategy, international business and finance in the Stephen M. Ross School of Business, died peacefully in his Ann Arbor home on May 15, shortly after returning from his second home, Singapore, via a family gathering in his native Germany.
Gunter was born in Kempten, Germany, on Jan. 31, 1940, the son of Eugen Dufey, an engineer, and Wilfriede (Herdel) Dufey, a teacher. Upon completing his undergraduate education at Universitaet Wuerzburg in 1964, he obtained Master of Arts and Doctor of Business Administration degrees in 1965 and 1969, respectively, at the University of Washington in Seattle.
He joined the University of Michigan Business School as assistant professor of international business and finance in 1969, was promoted to associate professor in 1972, and to professor in 1976, retiring in 2002.
Gunter’s academic interests centered on international money and capital markets, and the financial policy of multinational corporations, focusing on issues of corporate governance, risk management and the international expansion strategy of business enterprises.
He was a prolific researcher and published widely. One textbook, “The International Money Market,” co-authored with Ian Giddy, was popular among finance scholars and practitioners, and was translated into Japanese.
Gunter was a master teacher of complex financial topics, and a pioneer in the study of Asia-Pacific financial markets. He served repeated stints as a visiting professor at, among others, the International Management Institute (Switzerland), Universitaet des Saarlandes and WHU Koblenz (Germany), and Nanyang Business School, Nanyang Technological University (Singapore).
His leading role in the Pacific Rim Bankers’ Program over many decades gave him unparalleled visibility and influence in Asian banking. He also consulted with and advised governments and international agencies, including the U.S. Secretary of Commerce and Department of Treasury, Japan’s Ministry of Finance and the World Bank.
Gunter was senior adviser to McKinsey Singapore’s corporate governance practice in Asia and was on the board of directors of Fuji Logitech, Guinness-Atkinson Funds and subsidiaries of Ally Financial.
Gunter’s kindness, generosity and sociability were legendary. An enthusiastic host, he continually opened his home, his table and his wallet to family, friends and acquaintances, sharing his wisdom and advice, and devoting time to helping others in ways big and small.
He was devoted to philanthropy and to providing opportunities for Asian students to study abroad, especially at U-M. He set up the nonprofit Education Exchange Ltd. in Singapore to provide financial aid and scholarships for their tertiary education in the United States.
Gunter and his life partner of 33 years, Priscilla Rogers, who preceded him in death on May 3, 2023, funded the Gunter Dufey and Pris Rogers Scholarship Fund at the Ross School, and supported many other funds across U-M. She was an associate professor emerita of management communication in the Ross School.
Gunter recently endowed the Pris Rogers Professorship in Strategic Communications in LSA. He was dedicated to his former students and other U-M alumni. Following his retirement, he spent nine months of every year in Singapore, where he was a faculty adviser and sponsor of the U-M Alumni of Singapore.
Gunter lived a full and rich life on three continents. He is survived by two brothers, Klaus Dufey of Werneck, Germany, and Hans-Peter Dufey of Höchberg, Germany, and their families. The countless others whose lives he bettered will miss him deeply and remember him fondly.
A memorial will take place at the Ross School at 2:30 p.m. June 26. Email [email protected] for more information. Donations in Gunter’s honor may be made to the Gunter Dufey and Pris Rogers Scholarship Fund at donate.umich.edu/nR7NA.
— Submitted by Ross School colleagues and the Dufey family
