Bob Stouthuysen

Baron Robert "Bob" Stouthuysen (born 10 March 1929, Diest, Belgium) is a Belgian businessman. He is honorary president of the Vlaams Economisch Verbond and of Janssen Pharmaceutica. He lives in Turnhout in the Campine region of Flanders.

In 1953, he graduated in law at the Katholieke Universiteit Leuven (Leuven, Belgium). In addition he also graduated in businessmanagement at the K.U.Leuven.

He started his career as a researcher at the Productivity research group of the K.U. Leuven. In September 1957, the Janssen family invited him to work for Janssen Pharmaceutica. On 1 October 1958, he became the personnel manager of the company, and was as such involved in widely diverse personnel affairs. When Janssen Pharmaceutica was acquired by Johnson & Johnson in 1961, he was appointed to a management position. In 1962 he was appointed head of the commercial department and in 1963 he became assistant manager under Frans Van den Bergh. In 1965 Stouthuysen was officially appointed director of the company. In 1971 he was appointed as a member of the Board of Directors and in 1987 he became Director and in 1988 President of Janssen Operations Worldwide. From November 1976 until May 1981, he was President of the VEV. On 1 October 1991 he became chairman of the Board of Directors which he would remain until 2004 when he retired and was succeeded by Ajit Shetty.