Demant A/S, a hearing healthcare and audio technology company, develops, manufactures, and sells products and equipment to enhance people's hearing in Europe, North America, the Pacific, Asia, and internationally. It operates in two segments, Hearing Healthcare and Communications. The Hearing Healthcare segment offers hearing implants and aids, hearing care, and diagnostic products. The Communications segment provides headsets for collaborative work and gaming markets under the EPOS brand name. The company was formerly known as William Demant Holding A/S and changed its name to Demant A/S in March 2019. Demant A/S was founded in 1904 and is headquartered in Smørum, Denmark.

History

The Demant Group was founded in 1904 by Hans Demant, under the name Oticon. After his death in 1910, his son William Demant took over.Already before World War I, Oticon increased its sales volume to cover Scandinavia and Saint Petersburg. In the twenties and thirties, a network of agents was established in Europe.

During World War II, Oticon started its own production due to the scarcity of goods from other countries.

In 1957, William and his wife Ida Emilie donated the Demant family's shares in the company to the Oticon Foundation which is today called The William Demant Foundation. The Foundation's general aim is charity with particular emphasis on helping people with a hearing impairment and today the Oticon Foundation is the main shareholder in William Demant Holding A/S with a holding of app. 61%.During the 1990s the company expanded further, buying the Swiss hearing aid manufacturer Bernafon, Phonic Ear, the headset manufacturer DanaCom and Interacoustics.

In 1995 the company was listed at the Copenhagen Stock Exchange. In 1997, it was decided to change the name of the parent company from Oticon Holding A/S to William Demant Holding A/S because it was considered disadvantageous to use the same name, both for the Group, and for one of its businesses. Further in 2019 William Demant Holding A/S changed its name to Demant A/S

In February 2017 it was announced that former President & CEO Niels Jacobsen would step down after 25 years in charge of the company. Instead, he would become CEO of William Demant Invest A/S. Since 1 April 2017 the company is led by President & CEO, Søren Nielsen and board chairman Niels B. Christiansen.

Demant is headquartered in Smørum northwest of Copenhagen and had sales of DKK 13.9 billion in 2018.In April 2022, Demant announced it had agreed to sell Oticon Medical to Australian company Cochlear Limited for DKK850 million and would exit the hearing implant business.In June 2022, Demant acquired Chinese retailer ShengWang at a cost of RMB 1.8 billion.

Mission

Demant’s mission is to create better hearing for all; by providing its customers with the best hearing solutions and services.

Vision

Demant’s vision is to reduce the impact of hearing loss on the quality of life across the world.

Key Team

Mr. Arne Boye Nielsen M.B.A. (Pres of Diagnostics and Communications & Member of Exec. Board)

Mr. Mathias Holten Møller (Head of Investor Relations)

Ms. Trine Kromann-Mikkelsen (VP of Corp. Communication & Relations)

Mr. Finn Mohring (Sr. VP of R&D)

Recognition and Awards

In 2018, Demant was recognized as one of the World’s Most Ethical Companies by the Ethisphere Institute, and in 2019 the company was named one of the World’s Most Admired Companies by Fortune Magazine. Demant also earned the European Public Spokesperson Award in 2019 for its work in spreading awareness and understanding of hearing loss and hearing healthcare.