Rödl & Partner mourns loss of founder Dr. Bernd Rödl

Nuremberg, 11 November 2015: The founder and senior partner of the international professional services firm Rödl & Partner, Dr. Bernd Rödl, passed away on 9th November 2015 at the age of 72 after suffering from cancer. Up to the end he carried on the fight against this terrible illness. Accordingly, last Wednesday he still participated actively in a supervisory board meeting. Like no other person he showed an almost superhuman strength in situations where others may have long given in to fear. “This is an irreplaceable loss to all the family, for Rödl & Partner and for the German business community”, said Christian Rödl.
 
Bernd Rödl became self-employed in Nuremberg in 1977 and laid the foundations for one of the most successful German professional services firms which today has 4,000 employees and 102 own offices in 46 countries around the world. “Looking back today, I am very proud of the development of the firm and our employees whose great passion has been instrumental in our common success", explained Bernd Rödl two years ago on his 70th birthday and added: "I have always been very motivated in my work as a consultant and auditor and even today I have no intention of stopping, although now I do have to take things more slowly.” 
 
Bernd Rödl was one of the first lawyers in Germany who became both a certified tax consultant and auditor and was therefore able to offer his clients comprehensive multidisciplinary consulting. The breakthrough came for Rödl & Partner with the fall of the iron curtain and the expansion to East Germany and Central and Eastern Europe. Rödl & Partner was the first professional services firm to open offices in the former GDR prior to German reunification and in Prague in the former state of Czechoslovakia. At that time the firm had 120 employees at 3 locations in Nuremberg, Hof and Munich.
 
Bernd Rödl was a pioneer in the expansion measures he undertook. The move to the United States, where the firm has 7 locations today, was very important for him, as well as the expansion to Asia. The founding of the first office of a German professional services firm in China in 1994 allowed Rödl & Partner to develop the Asian market. Today, alone in China, Rödl & Partner is represented by more than 200 employees at 4 locations. The network of offices in Asia includes locations ranging from India to Indonesia. And parallel to its international expansion Rödl & Partner also succeeded in establishing an extensive network of law firms in Germany. 
 

Regional roots – at home in the world

Bernd Rödl always promoted the development of the metropolitan region of Nuremberg. Yet he was not only exemplary in this respect. He was very committed to business in the region in his capacity as Vice President of the Chamber of Industry and Commerce for Nuremberg for Middle Franconia and as Managing Director of the development association for innovative entrepreneurship in north Bavaria he promoted business in the region. From the moment the association was founded he especially supported the business plan competition and assisted start-up companies seeking financing. As a member of the university council of the Friedrich Alexander University of Erlangen-Nuremberg he promoted the close exchange of research, science and business information.
 
Bernd Rödl utilised his experience of over 40 years in consulting in his function as a supervisory board and advisory board member of different well-known companies.
 

Social commitment

Bernd Rödl always laid great emphasis on sharing his success. His social and cultural commitment was especially beneficial for the partnership association of Kharkiv-Nuremberg and also other numerous institutions worldwide.
 

An honoured reputation

Bernd Rödl was honoured a number of times for his entrepreneurial commitment. He was also awarded the financial medal for his services to the Bavarian financial services sector, the Bavarian state medal for special services to the Bavarian economy and the Lünendonk service award in the area of "innovation". In 2010 he received the Bavarian distinguished services award, in 2009 the medal of honour from the Nuremberg Chamber of Industry and Commerce, in 2008 the Bavarian founder award from the Sparkasse savings bank organisation and in 2006 the cross of merit on the ribbon of the order of merit of the Federal Republic of Germany. 
 
“My biggest entrepreneurial achievement is that Rödl & Partner is being continued as a family company in such an excellent way. That is an extraordinary piece of luck in our field”, emphasised Bernd Rödl recently. “But most of all I am immensely proud of my family, of my six children who have gone their own way and have become successful on their own account.”