Enthusiastic for research
Reinhard Pöllath's resounding reputation leaves no room for improvement, and he avails of it tirelessly to help and promote science. He is a linchpin, and his commitment and foresight are pivotal to the success of the Max Planck Foundation, the establishment of which he made possible with Stefan von Holtzbrinck in 2005.
Reinhard Pöllath is the engine driving the Foundation and advances its work with dedication and creativity. It was thanks to Pöllath that businessman Hermann Neuhaus entrusted a legacy worth millions to the Max Planck Foundation, thereby providing a solid basis for its work.
But that’s not all: He inspires others with his enthusiasm for science and in this way gains the support of other important patrons. The Max Planck Foundation’s sole statutory purpose is to support the Max Planck Society and ensure its scientific autonomy and innovative force. Scientific projects carried out by Max Planck researchers are funded by the Max Planck Foundation and its four sheltered foundations. The Foundation steps into the breach quickly and flexibly whenever its help is needed. “You’re welcome. The MPG is our sole raison d’être,” says RP, as he is known by everyone.
You’re welcome. Max Planck Society is our sole raison d’être.- Reinhard Pöllath
Despite his success as a sought-after business lawyer, Reinhard Pöllath, a native of Marktredwitz in Upper Franconia, has remained grounded and unassuming. His parents ran a joinery that had been owned by the family since the seventeenth century.
Pöllath studied law, was awarded a scholarship by the German Academic Scholarship Foundation and completed his masters at Harvard Law School. In 1997, he established the law firm P+P Pöllath + Partners, which has offices in Munich, Berlin and Frankfurt, and specialized in consultancy for family businesses, corporate acquisitions, succession and asset management, international and German tax law, foundations and trusts, and pro-bono activities.
The list of people who have placed their trust in Reinhard Pöllath is unrivalled in Germany and includes families like Harald Quandt and Herz, companies like Beiersdorf and Escada, and the heirs of the WAZ Gruppe media enterprise – these and many more esteem him as a commonsensical expert and advisor. Given his wide-ranging network, it is not surprising that Pöllath has been able to attract so many friends for the Max Planck Foundation. He has built a regional network of supporters; people associate his face with the foundation.
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