Güngör Kara appointed new Chief Digital Officer of Ottobock
Sarik Weber to remain active in advisory capacity
Digital expert Güngör Kara will assume the role of Chief Digital Officer (CDO) of Ottobock as of 15 July 2019 and will report directly to CEO Philipp Schulte-Noelle. Kara previously held the same position at EOS Electro Optical Systems, a specialist in industrial 3D manufacturing.
The 49-year-old has successfully developed and implemented innovation centres, Industry 4.0 solutions and industrial 3D printing systems. He holds an international Executive MBA and a degree in mechanical engineering. He started his career as a project manager in operations at Philip Morris. After spending over a decade as an internationally active management consultant, he founded Prosonergy, a social start-up, to provide people in developing countries with mini solar systems and to support local traders through digital platforms. In his role as CDO at EOS GmbH, he led a multi-award-winning global unit focusing on Additive Minds solutions. He also headed up the development and implementation of Industry 4.0 factory cells using EOS industrial 3D printers.
Güngör Kara’s future remit will include implementing and continually developing Ottobock’s ambitious digital strategy as well as establishing business models, leading the internal start-up teams and expanding cooperation with external start-ups at the internationally active med-tech company. “Ottobock SE & Co KGaA is one of the most innovative and promising companies in the medical and mobility sector. I am very excited to have the opportunity to further develop the company’s digital strategy and to contribute my skills from the start-up scene, industrial 3D printing and industry 4.0 to Ottobock’s sustainable growth strategy,” says CDO Güngör Kara.
In doing so, Kara will be working in close cooperation with Chief Information Officer (CIO) Heiko Reinhard, who in turn will be pushing forward with the implementation of the IT transformation.
“By appointing Güngör Kara, we have found the ideal person for the current implementation phase of our digital strategy”, says CEO Schulte-Noelle. Sarik Weber, who has been Ottobock’s first CDO since May 2018, is leaving the company at the end of the year at his own request to take on an advisory role. During the pioneering phase, he worked together with internal and external specialists to develop a comprehensive digital agenda including concrete business models and structures for internal start-ups. “During this process, Mr Weber drew on his extensive experience as a leading founder in the digitization scene. I would like to thank him for the successful development work he did with us and wish him all the best for the future,” says CEO Schulte-Noelle.