Professor Hans Georg Näder has confirmed in an interview with Göttingen’s Tageblatt newspaper that Duderstadt will continue to remain Ottobock’s legal headquarters when Otto Bock HealthCare GmbH undergoes its planned conversion to a limited partnership by shares (SE & Co. KGaA). “Following an extensive analysis, Duderstadt came out ahead of European metropolises including Berlin, London and Amsterdam,” said Näder.

The legal structure of an SE & Co. KGaA would ensure the family’s continued influence in the company following an IPO as well. When asked in the interview whether tax-related aspects had played a role in the decision, Näder responded: “No, because those matters play a minor role for a company that is as diversified as Ottobock, which has numerous locations around the world.”

The decision is rather a commitment to Duderstadt: “We’re remaining loyal to our nearly 100-year-old recipe for success as a German world market leader: think globally, act locally. The human factor – the right people in the right positions – is especially important to me. Innovations are the most vital drivers of our growth. That’s why we support and encourage those who shape our company’s global presence with their ideas and their commitment.”

Alongside peers such as Sartorius, KWS and Symrise in the life science area, as well as the science sector and the University Medical Center Göttingen, Näder believes that Duderstadt, the Eichsfeld region and southern Lower Saxony represent the perfect home port for Orthobionics and Human Mobility. “And this is where we will continue to provide our users with Quality for Life, made by Ottobock,” Näder told the Tageblatt.