Photo 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 history, is navigating that transition through a deliberate, step-by-step repositioning under the leadership of its third-generation CEO, Selim Tezman.
Rather than pursuing aggressive expansion or headline-grabbing initiatives, Tezman’s approach is built on long-term value creation, scientific investment and diversified but measured growth — a strategy that stands in contrast to the high-risk models that dominate much of today’s economic landscape. A leadership style shaped by international experience.
T Selim Tezman studied at Babson College in Boston before beginning his career in New York’s banking sector. That exposure to international markets, financial structures and risk assessment now informs his methodical management style. “I understood early on that stability and discipline matter as much as growth,” Tezman says. “Long-term positioning matters more than short-term results.” That outlook would prove essential when he took on the task of modernizing 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 honor what they built while ensuring the company remains relevant.”
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 clearest examples is CollaSel, the group’s hydrolyzed 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, widening 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 organization: moving from primarily industrial manufacturing toward scientific specialties and higher-value products. “We are proud of what CollaSel has achieved, but we also know 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.”
In 2024, the group launched Nutrafine Health & Nutrition BV, headquartered in Amsterdam, the Netherlands, with operations in the UK and Germany. Nutrafine develops nutritional 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 understand 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.”
The launch marks a strategic alignment between the company’s industrial capabilities and the fast-growing wellness sector, positioning the brand for expansion across North and South America.
Tezman avoids the fast-growth mindset common in many modern companies. Instead, he favors a sustainable pace, disciplined financial management and gradual expansion backed by real demand. “We are not chasing quick wins,” he says. “Our focus is stability, product credibility and long-term continuity built on trust.” That philosophy has guided both the modernization of the group’s traditional businesses and the creation of new ones.
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 multigenerational organization can adapt to shifting 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. It is up to us to build them.”
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