The Perlmutter Institute for Global Business Leadership was established at the Brandeis International Business School through a $5 million gift from Louis ’56 and Barbara Perlmutter. The Perlmutter's have long been generous supporters of the University. In addition to making gifts and taking leadership roles on Brandeis boards, they created the Ethel Z. Sondik Graduate Fellowship and the Kermit H. Perlmutter Fellowship Award for Teaching Excellence. The Perlmutter's also support the Alumni Annual Fund and contributed to a visiting professorship in Women's and Gender Studies Program.

Barbara Perlmutter

Barbara Perlmutter retired after almost 30 years as Senior Vice President of Public Affairs for Marsh & McLennan Companies, a global professional services firm. She is a member of the board of Women for Women International and co-chairs its New York Leadership Circle. She serves on the board of Women In Need, the board of governors of the American Jewish Committee and is a member of the Council on Foreign Relations and the Harvard NeuroDiscovery Council. She is a Fellow of Brandeis University where she serves on the Board of Overseers at the Brandeis International Business School and where she is a member and past chair of the Women and Gender Studies Program. She is a graduate of Smith College, earned her master’s degree in history from Columbia University, and received an MBA with distinction from New York University’s Stern Graduate School of Business.

Louis Perlmutter ’56

Louis Perlmutter, a retired senior partner of the international investment banking firm Lazard, currently is a Senior Advisor to Corporate Partners LLC, a private equity fund. He has been a member of the Brandeis Board of Trustees for more than 20 years and is the only alumnus to serve as its chair. He currently serves as chairman of the board of the Transatlantic Institute and is a member of the Council on Foreign Relations, board of fellows (directors) of Harvard Medical School, board of directors and treasurer of Friends of the World Federation of the United Nations Association, board of directors of the Charles H. Revson Foundation, the advisory board of Foreign Affairs, board of governors American Jewish Committee, board of governors for The State of the USA and trustee of the Blaustein Institute for Human Rights. He received his bachelor's degree and an honorary degree from Brandeis and earned a JD degree from the University of Michigan Law School.