Jean Du Plessis

Jean is currently a Professor (Corporate Law) in the Deakin Law School, Deakin University, researching and teaching in the areas of corporate law and corporate governance. He studied in South Africa and obtained his Doctorate in Law (LLD) in 1991 and was Professor of Mercantile law at the University of Johannesburg until the end of 1998. He served a 3-year term as Head of the Deakin Law School (2000-2002) and was the President of the Corporate Law Teachers Association (CLTA) in 2007 and 2008. Jean served on the Deakin University Council from 2012-2017.

Jean has spent extensive time doing research in the UK and in Germany. He is the recipient of the Anneliese Maier Research Award from the Alexander von Humboldt Foundation (2013-2015), focusing his research for this Award on the further internationalisation of the German corporate law and corporate governance models. He published books as co-author in Australia, Germany and South Africa and has also published more than 100 academic articles in highly ranked international law review journals.

Career highlights:

• Professor (Corporate Law) at Deakin University from 1999-present and Professor of Mercantile Law at the Rand Afrikaans University (now University of Johannesburg) from 1991-1998.
• Recipient of the Alexander von Humboldt Foundation’s Annelise Maier Research Award (2013-2018).
• Alexander von Humboldt Research Fellow since 1995.
• Head of the Deakin Law School, Deakin University, from 2000-2003.
• One of 8 Members asked to form an International Reference Group to assist the South African Government with its Corporate Law Reform Program from 2004-2008.
• National President of the Australian Corporate Law Teachers Association (CLTA) from 2007-2009.
• Member of the Deakin University Council from 2012-2017.
• Currently member of the Deakin Law School Executive and on several occasions before 2015.
• Since 2018, LLM Director and Director, International of the Deakin Law School (DLS).