Prof. Klaus J. Hopt awarded Federal Cross of Merit
(from left) Nicolette Kressl, Klaus J. Hopt, NHU-Dung Hopt-Nguyen
Source: Rueger/BMF
07.04.2009
At an official ceremony taking place on 7 April 2009, Professor Klaus J. Hopt was presented with the Order of Merit of the Federal Republic of Germany by State Secretary of Finance, Nicolette Kressl.Professor Hopt is one of Germany's most renowned jurists and has been the subject of recognition and acclaim not only in Germany but throughout the international legal community. He is one of the founders of German securities regulation and numbers among the first scholars to have introduced the concept of corporate governance into the German debate. He has additionally held numerous significant positions in the scholarly community and has rendered outstanding efforts in supporting junior scholarship.
He has served as law professor in Tübingen, Florence, Bern and Munich. His international reputation in- and outside of Europe can be witnessed in the, to date, four honorary doctorates that he has been bestowed from notable European universities as well as the myriad of guest professorships which have led him to the United States and Japan. For many years he was Director at the Max Planck Institute for Comparative and International Private Law in Hamburg before transitioning to Director Emeritus in 2008.
In her accompanying speech, State Secretary Kressl praised the many and varied accomplishments of the honouree and emphasised his close relationship with the Federal Ministry of Finance and the gratitude he is due, particularly for his work as expert counsel on an array of financial topics Through his ongoing service on the Stock Exchange Expert Commission, he will in the future as well continue to act as counsel for the Ministry.