H ans Georg Naeder is a German billionaire and the chairman and owner of the Ottobock Group, a global leader in the field of prosthetics and medical technology. He represents the third generation of his family to lead the business, which was founded by his grandfather, Otto Bock, in 1919 to provide prosthetics to veterans of World War I. His father, Max Näder, also led the company.
Naeder took over the company in 1990 and has transformed it from a traditional German "Mittelstand" company into a high-tech global powerhouse. He has been the driving force behind the company's innovation in mechatronics and its development of advanced, microprocessor-controlled prosthetic limbs, such as the C-Leg. He has also expanded the company into new areas like wheelchairs and exoskeletons. In 2017, in a landmark move, he sold a minority stake in the private family company to the private equity firm EQT to help fuel further growth. He is also known for his passion for sailing and his ownership of a luxury superyacht.
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