GAUFF Engineering

Helmut P. Gauff – pioneer and founding father

With his leap into independence in 1958, Helmut P. Gauff began his career as a consulting engineer marking
the beginning of his remarkable career as a world-wide successfully operating entrepreneur.

As early as 1965, a development project led him to Gabon, which is located at the equator. Here, he
discovered his interest in the African continent and its people. His multiple activities and business contacts
in and to Africa are a direct result of this enthusiasm.

In order to uphold his philosophy of being as close to the client as possible, he dedicated all his energy to
developing project offices and branches on the African continent as well as later on in Europe, Asia and
America.

Outstanding projects in Africa were amongst others the construction of the „Transgabonais“ in 1972,
where 900 km of railway tracks were laid across Gabon as well as in 1978 the construction of a
1300-meter-long dam for the water supply of Nigeria’s later capital city of Abuja.

In order to secure his success and be able to expand it in the future, he founded GAUFF Engineering 
with one of his sons in 1988. Thanks to his high personal dedication, he not only contributed to the
success of the company but also carried on his life’s work.

As Managing Director of GAUFF Engineering, Helmut P. Gauff was awarded the Federal Cross of Merit,
First Class in 2001 for his outstanding achievements as an entrepreneur.

Soon his special relationship to the African continent made him realise that he not only wanted to support
the people in developing their infrastructure but that he wanted to go beyond his business activities.
Thus, numerous aid projects and initiatives can be directly attributed to him, leading to the founding of
the GAUFF Foundation in 2008.

Today, more than ever, Helmut P. Gauff is respected world-wide as a highly esteemed business partner,
advisor and friend focusing all his attention on clients and their projects.