Institutional and Professional Relations.........................................................................21

4 Research Structure & Advisory Committees

4.1 AO Research Institute Davos (ARI) Organigram

4.2 AO Foundation Executive Committee (AOEC)

4.3 AO Foundation R&D Platform

The AO R&D Platform supports the active exchange and mutual discussion about strategies of the AO units with respect to their related goals in R&D. It supports the AO Foundation Board (AOFB) in defining general strategic areas and their implementation in an advisory function. It ensures that relevant activities are in line with the AO Mission and strategies as defined by the AOFB. All research stakeholders are finally accountable to the AOFB. The AO R&D Platform will further develop the strategies and their implementation on behalf of the AOFB in an advisory capacity. It has no funding and decision authority. The R&D Platform is represented on the AOEC by the AO Executive Director of Research and Development. The R&D expert of the AOFB is the Chair of the R&D Platform, currently Prof Anita Ignatius, Director and Chair of the Trauma Research Center Ulm (ZTF), University Hospital Ulm, Germany. A virtual R&D Platform meeting was held in December 2021.