Photo of Selim Tezman © Tezman Holding

In a rapidly changing economy, established companies face the same pressure as startups: adapt or be left behind. Tezman Holding, a diversified group with nearly eight decades of activity behind it, is navigating this transition through a deliberate, gradual reorientation under the leadership of its third-generation CEO, Selim Tezman.

Rather than pursuing aggressive expansion or headline-grabbing initiatives, Tezman’s approach is based on long-term value creation, scientific investment and diversified but measured growth, a strategy that contrasts with the high-risk models dominating much of today’s economic landscape. A leadership style shaped by international experience.

Selim Tezman studied at Babson College in Boston before beginning his career in New York’s banking sector. This exposure to international markets, financial structures and risk assessment now informs his methodical management style. “I understood early on that stability and discipline matter just as much as growth,” Tezman says. “Long-term positioning is more important than short-term results.” That outlook would prove essential when he took on the responsibility of modernising a historic family business operating across multiple sectors. “My grandfather founded this company in 1948. My father spent decades building it. I do not take that lightly. My responsibility is to honour what they built while ensuring the company remains relevant.”

Modernising Core Capabilities

The company’s roots span chemicals, hydrocolloids, gelatin, functional proteins, collagen peptides, technical textiles, shipping, fasteners, insurance and real estate. Under Selim Tezman’s leadership, these legacy businesses have been strengthened rather than replaced. One of the most notable examples is CollaSel, the group’s hydrolysed collagen peptide producer. Over the years, CollaSel has expanded its research capabilities and contributed to advances in peptide science, introducing collagen tripeptide technology and then the world’s first bovine collagen tripeptide. The company later added marine collagen tripeptides, broadening their applications in nutrition, beauty and cosmeceuticals. These developments are supported by clinical studies demonstrating their functionality and absorption efficiency.

CollaSel’s work reflects a broader shift within the organisation: from primarily industrial manufacturing to scientific specialties and high-value-added products. “We are proud of what CollaSel has achieved, but we also know that the collagen market is competitive and moving fast,” Selim Tezman says. “The day you stop investing in R&D is the day you start falling behind.”

Entering the Wellness Market with a Scientific Foundation

In 2024, the group launched Nutrafine Health & Nutrition BV, headquartered in Amsterdam, the Netherlands, with operations in the UK and Germany. Nutrafine develops dietary supplements in collaboration with nutritionists and functional medicine experts, targeting categories such as beauty and skin health, weight management, immune support, children’s health, women’s health, gut health, sleep and stress. “Our advantage is that we control the supply chain from ingredients to science,” Selim Tezman explains. “Nutrafine is built on that foundation.” “Launching a consumer brand is a humbling lesson,” he adds. “In our B2B businesses, we built our reputation over decades. With Nutrafine, we are starting from zero in the consumer’s eyes, and we have to earn that trust product by product.”

This launch marks a strategic alignment between the company’s industrial capabilities and the fast-growing wellness sector, positioning the brand for expansion into North and South America.

Tezman rejects the rapid-growth mindset common in many modern companies. Instead, he favours a sustainable pace, disciplined financial management and gradual expansion supported by genuine demand. “We are not chasing quick wins,” he says. “Our priority is stability, product credibility and long-term continuity built on trust.” This philosophy has guided both the modernisation of the group’s traditional businesses and the creation of new ones.

Preparing the Next Chapter

With expanding operations, growing research capabilities and new sectors on the horizon, Tezman Holding is positioning itself for the next stage of its global development. Tezman’s strategy shows how a multi-generational organisation can adapt to changing markets without abandoning its core strengths. In an economic environment often dominated by short cycles and flashy projects, his approach represents something increasingly rare: a transformation grounded in patience, discipline and continuity. “I have no illusions about the scale of the work ahead,” Tezman says. “Seventy-eight years gives you a strong foundation, but it does not guarantee the next seventy-eight. That is up to us to build.”

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