Commitment to German-Kazakhstani relations

Ambassador of Kazakhstan awards medal of honour to Oliver Hermes

On 29 November, Oliver Hermes, President & CEO of the Wilo Group, met the Ambassador of the Republic of Kazakhstan to Germany, H.E. Nurlan Onzhanov, at the company’s headquarters in Dortmund, where he was congratulated on the 150th anniversary of the company and received an honour for his extraordinary commitment to German-Kazakhstani relations.

The Ambassador was accompanied by Mr Marat Karimov, First Secretary of the Embassy, and Mr Yryskali Daurenbek, Envoy of the Representative Office of the Kazakh Embassy in Bonn. After his welcome address, Hermes offered insights into current developments within the group of companies. The guests showed a great interest in the implementation of the company’s own hydrogen strategy, the approach to geopolitical challenges and Wilo’s contribution to the United Nation’s Sustainable Development Goals. The real highlight of the visit was ultimately the presentation of a medal of honour to Hermes for his determined and tenacious commitment to strengthening German-Kazakhstani relations.

“In times of geopolitical tension, it is more important than ever to maintain and deepen good bilateral trade relations. Kazakhstan is Germany’s most important trading partner in Central Asia – and is increasingly seeking to diversify its economic relations. As a result, the country also plays a significant role in the Wilo Group’s strategic orientation. The award from the Ambassador of the Republic of Kazakhstan is a prestigious recognition and encourages both me and the Wilo Group to maintain our fruitful collaboration with Kazakhstan”, explains Hermes.

As honorary consul, Hermes has also acted as a mediator between the two nations since 2021. In his honorary capacity, he is committed in particular to maintaining and developing the economic cooperation between Kazakhstan and North Rhine-Westphalia and represents the Republic of Kazakhstan at events and receptions. In August 2021, the then serving ambassador was also a guest at Wilopark to sign the certificate of appointment and open the new honorary consul’s office.

The latest ambassadorial visit was paid not only to honour Hermes, but also to mark the Wilo Group’s 150th anniversary, which was celebrated worldwide in 2022, as well as the 20th anniversary of Wilo’s subsidiary in Kazakhstan. H.E. Onzhanov offered his congratulations for the two anniversaries.

With the opening of the site in Almaty in 2002, the Wilo Group once again underlined the importance of Kazakhstan as a business location. Since then, Wilo Kazakhstan has acted as a platform for Central Asia and has continued to gain in strategic importance for Eurasia in recent months due to geopolitical developments.