The German President Frank-Walter Steinmeier has awarded Professor Hans Georg Näder the Order of Merit (First Class) of the Federal Republic of Germany. The President and Chairman of the Board of Ottobock SE & Co. KGaA – the owner of Ottobock – received the award for his many years of commitment to progress in medical technology as well as his social involvement.

The State Premier of Lower Saxony, Stephan Weil, presented the 58-year-old with the Federal Cross of Merit on Tuesday in Hanover. “Hans Georg Näder has made as third generation of the family Ottobock’s business in Lower Saxony the world's leading provider of innovative solutions for people with physical disabilities. Always with the focus on the individual – and this applies not only to his entrepreneurial commitment but also to his social involvement. The Tabaluga Haus by HGN in Duderstadt and the Ottobock Global Foundation have achieved outstanding success in their efforts to support children, young people and families for years,” said the State Premier.

Since its establishment in 1987, the foundation has continually adapted its work to the requirements of people in need. Today, it focuses on providing care to refugee children.

Weil also noted that Hans Georg Näder fosters a sense of community in his home region, the Eichsfeld, and in many other places such as Berlin, the German capital, where the company was founded 100 years ago. “As State Premier of Lower Saxony, I am particularly pleased to present him with the Federal Cross of Merit.”

Näder has been promoting the development of his home town since 2009 with the Duderstadt2030 initiative.

Numerous projects and activities boost the sustainability of Duderstadt, which is located in a rural region. In Berlin, Näder has been developing the listed Bötzow area into a dedicated neighbourhood where people live, dwell and work since 2010.

“I’m delighted to be honoured in this way. My special thanks go to the employees of Ottobock and all those who support our social commitment as a family. Together, we help people to maintain or regain their mobility every day,” said Professor Hans Georg Näder.

“The award, however, does not mean it’s time for me to sit back and relax. Technological change is progressing rapidly. Digitisation and AI are set to make orthopaedic fittings even more individual.” Ottobock is currently laying the foundation for providing digital Orthotics & Prosthetics in future by investing in an iFab – a fully integrated research and fabrication centre that combines digital fabrication and AI at its headquarters in Duderstadt, Lower Saxony.

Entrepreneur, visionary and philanthropist – in Germany and abroad

An award that’s an incentive: handling of the future is digital