Oticon Fonden

Oticon Fonden is the historical and colloquial name of a Danish commercial foundation (erhvervsdrivende fond) that was established in 1957 under the formal name William Demants og Hustru Ida Emilies Fond. Its principal original activity was to hold shares in the hearing-aid company Oticon, which is why the foundation became widely known in everyday usage as Oticon Fonden. At some point the foundation adopted the official name WILLIAM DEMANTS OG HUSTRU IDA EMILIES (MILLAS) FOND - KALDET OTICON-FONDEN, and in 2019 it officially changed its name to the current William Demant Fonden. The foundation is the main shareholder of William Demant Holding A/S, the Danish hearing-health and technology group. Through its articles of association it is obliged to support the needs of people with hearing impairment, and its stated main purpose is to secure and develop the group's activities as well as to support commercial, charitable and non-profit causes. As an example of the latter, the foundation financed part of the renovation of Israels Plads in Copenhagen between 2009 and 2011. William Demant Fonden owns approximately 58 percent of the share capital of Demant A/S and approximately 42 percent of Jeudan A/S, both of which are listed on the Copenhagen Stock Exchange. As of 2019, Lars Nørby Johansen was chairman of the foundation. The foundation's website is oticonfonden.dk.

The foundation was established in 1957 under the name William Demants og Hustru Ida Emilies Fond. Its most important activity was to own shares in the hearing-aid business Oticon, and because of this it was commonly referred to as Oticon Fonden. At some point the foundation changed its name to the official WILLIAM DEMANTS OG HUSTRU IDA EMILIES (MILLAS) FOND - KALDET OTICON-FONDEN, and in 2019 it officially changed its name to the current William Demant Fonden. As a Danish commercial foundation, its main purpose is to secure and develop the activities of the group and to support commercial as well as charitable and non-profit causes. Through its articles of association it is also obliged to support the needs of people with hearing impairment. An example of its philanthropic activity is that between 2009 and 2011 the foundation financed part of the renovation of Israels Plads in Copenhagen. The foundation is the main shareholder of William Demant Holding A/S. It owns approximately 58 percent of the share capital of Demant A/S and approximately 42 percent of Jeudan A/S, both listed on the Copenhagen Stock Exchange. As of 2019, Lars Nørby Johansen was chairman of the foundation.

• 2019

  Foundation officially changed its name to William Demant Fonden.

• 2009

  Foundation began financing part of the renovation of Israels Plads in Copenhagen (through 2011).

• 1957

  Foundation established as William Demants og Hustru Ida Emilies Fond.

Danish commercial foundation and controlling shareholder of the Demant hearing-health group, with a charitable mandate to support people with hearing impairment.

1. 1Oticon Fonden - Wikidatawikidata.org
2. 2William Demant Fonden - Wikipedia (Danish)da.wikipedia.org