On the death of Dorothea Küsters - A life for healthcare PR

Dorothea Küsters died on 23 October 2023 at the age of 67 after an admirably brave and patiently endured illness. The esteemed founder of the communications agency of the same name was one of the most influential figures on the German healthcare agency scene over the last 40 years.

After working for Burson-Marsteller, MSL, McCann Healthcare and Ogilvy, she set up her own company, dk Life Science Communications (dk), in October 1993. With a lot of vigour, creative ideas, commitment and willpower as well as great communications expertise and a continuously growing team, she successfully managed the business until the agency was sold this summer.

Her excellent instinct for healthcare PR and positioning was already evident in the naming of dk. In the 1990s, "life science" was a new term that was predominantly used by leading pharmaceutical companies in connection with innovations. With dk, Dorothea Küsters launched the first agency for life science topics in Germany.

As the founder of the agency, she was one of the pioneers in the male-dominated healthcare world of the 1990s. The well-being of employees has always been particularly close to her heart. In three decades at dk, she supported countless communication talents, shared her experience and gave colleagues the opportunity to develop. Dorothea Küsters was charismatic and open to discussion, entertaining and generous.

The spirit of Dorothea Küsters will live on with the established agency name under the umbrella of the Wefra Life Group. "We are proud to continue Dorothea Küsters' life's work in her spirit," says Niklas Kurz, new Managing Director of dk.

We mourn the loss of an inspiring, visionary communications expert and boss.