In memory of Prof. Hans-Heinrich Otte (1926 – 2020)

Hans-Heinrich Otte was born in Lübeck 100 years ago. We remember our long-standing Chairman of the Executive Board and Supervisory Board and Honorary Chairman, a visionary and role model – and ‘the O in BDO’.
‘A life dedicated to auditing’ was the headline of an article published by ‘DIE WELT’ in 2001 about a very special year in the life of Hans-Heinrich Otte. In 2001, Otte, who was a member of our Executive Board, Chairman of the Executive Board and later Chairman of the Supervisory Board and Honorary Chairman for many years, not only celebrated his 75th birthday – he was also approaching his 50th anniversary at BDO.

A life dedicated to auditing

When Otte was born in Lübeck, where he spent his childhood and school days and completed a commercial apprenticeship, a ‘life in auditing’ may not have been on the cards. However, when he joined the former Deutsche Waren-Treuhand AG (DWT) in Hamburg at the beginning of 1952 at the age of 25, after completing his economics studies in Göttingen, an impressive career began. In 1956, Otte passed his tax advisor exam, followed by his auditor exam in 1957, and in October 1962, at the age of 35, he was appointed to the DWT Executive Board.

In 1963, Otte was one of the DWT representatives who pushed for the establishment of our global network, then known as Binder Seidman International Group (BSIG). In the years that followed, he was the driving force behind this international alliance, both as a member of the board and, from 1969, as chairman of the board of DWT, even beyond the borders of Germany. This commitment was reflected in 1973 with the founding of the successor organisation to BSIG on 1 July 1973 – Binder Dijker Otte & Co. (BDO) with offices in London, Amsterdam and Hamburg and an international secretariat in Amsterdam.

Otte, who took up a seat on the network's five-member Executive Committee in 1973, held a wide variety of roles at international level in the following years – particularly noteworthy is his long-standing role as Chairman of the Global Board (then Policy Board) and his subsequent appointment as Honorary Chairman for life.
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From a regional company to a renowned enterprise – both nationally and internationally

Otte also drove continuous development within the German company. In the 23 years between 1969 and 1992, during which he led and managed the company as CEO, he succeeded in significantly expanding it from a company with a mainly regional profile to the fifth-largest auditing and consulting firm in Germany. Crucial to him, who during this time also became the anchor shareholder of the company renamed BDO DWT in 1988, were values and principles that he had already considered important to enshrine in the founding document of our international network in 1963.

‘Principles such as independence, quality, international cooperation and aspects such as neutrality, solidarity and the importance of our clients and our employees were always particularly important to my father,’ recalls his son Dr Holger Otte, our Chairman of the Supervisory Board. ‘He supplemented these points, which I see as something of a legacy, with the need to maintain the ability to adapt to a constantly changing environment.’

Focus on values and principles – today and in the future

Dr Holger Otte has not only followed in his father's footsteps in terms of important roles at BDO – such as CEO and currently Chairman of the Supervisory Board – he also upholds his father's ideals: "Everything that was really important to my father has lost none of its relevance and significance in recent decades. On the contrary, these values and principles have helped us to make BDO big and successful over the years – both nationally and internationally."

The Otte family is committed to ensuring that this remains the case in the future, not only with Dr Holger Otte as Chairman of the Supervisory Board and anchor shareholder. Our EMT member Dr. Nora Otte, who represents the Otte family in its third generation at BDO, also shares these values and principles. Father and daughter therefore agree on the legacy of Prof. Hans-Heinrich Otte: "Our father and grandfather was more than just a namesake. He was a driving force for development and progress and, at the same time, a guarantor of independence and security. We are continuing this commitment and dedication, because that is exactly what the O in BDO stands for – today and in the future.