During the Oracle OpenWorld 2017 conference in San Francisco, Larry Ellison, the co-founder and chairman of Oracle, announced that the company is relocating its world headquarters to Nashville, Tennessee. Ellison explained that the move is to be closer to a major health-care hub and that Oracle will establish a “huge campus” in Nashville. He highlighted the city’s reputation as a health-care center and a desirable place to live for Oracle employees.
In a conversation with former U.S. Senate Majority Leader Bill Frist, Ellison discussed Oracle’s commitment to the health-care sector and its recent acquisition of Cerner for $28 billion. He expressed his belief that the company has a “moral obligation” to address the challenges facing the industry, and Nashville, with its established health-care infrastructure, is a key location for Oracle’s future operations.
Nashville has a long history as a hub for health care, dating back to the founding of HCA Healthcare in the city in 1968. The presence of HCA attracted a wealth of health-care professionals, leading to the growth of the city’s health-care ecosystem. Oracle has been developing its new campus in Nashville for about three years, investing $1.2 billion into the project.
Ellison’s impromptu announcement at the Oracle Health Summit in Nashville marks a significant move for the tech giant and underscores its commitment to the health-care industry. The decision to relocate the world headquarters to Nashville reflects Oracle’s strategic focus on health care and its recognition of the city as a critical center for the company’s future growth.