Martin Zucker becomes the new PwC boss in Kiel: rise of the Wismarer!

Martin Zucker becomes the new PwC boss in Kiel: rise of the Wismarer!

There is news in Kiel! From July 2025, Martin Zucker will take over as head of the PwC branch, succeeding Dr. Andreas Focke, who is retiring. Zucker, who was born in Wismar and started his career at PwC in 2007, has worked closely with his predecessor in recent years. “I am looking forward to taking the lead in such a dynamic region,” explained the new site manager. The Kiel branch has around 80 employees and is particularly specialized in providing advice to medium-sized companies in Schleswig-Holstein - especially in the maritime industry. “With his aggressive strategy of leading PwC’s Danish Business Group, he is ensuring that Danish companies are also well looked after, regardless of whether they are based in Schleswig-Holstein or Denmark,” said [PwC].

But while the PwC branch is receiving new impetus, Schleswig-Holstein is also struggling with an urgent problem: the shortage of skilled workers. The Schleswig-Holstein skilled workers initiative (FI.SH) was founded in October 2012 to address the need for skilled workers in the region. According to forecasts, there will be a deficit of 180,000 skilled workers by 2035 if measures are not taken in time. “The clock is ticking,” says a FI.SH spokesman. “The initiative has set itself the task of developing solutions for attracting and retaining skilled workers and relies on close cooperation with business, chambers and universities,” reports Schleswig-Holstein.

Focus on demographic change

The demographic imbalance in Schleswig-Holstein is already noticeable. The baby boomer generation will almost entirely retire by 2035, underscoring the need for a “good strategy”. The sectors most affected include not only care and crafts, but also logistics and the hotel and restaurant industry. In order to counteract this trend, the state of Schleswig-Holstein is realigning the skilled workers initiative and in April 2023 adopted a key points paper for further development. The renewable energy sector is also highlighted as a potential area for a climate-neutral industrial country,” says [WTSH](https://wtsh.de/de/fachkraefte Mangel-in-schleswig-holstein).

In order to create a further incentive for skilled worker immigration, a welcome center will be set up. “The goal is to make Schleswig-Holstein visible as an attractive location for international skilled workers,” explains a representative of the state government. However, the challenge often lies in the recognition of qualifications and the required language skills. A climate protection specialist program is also intended to help cover the special needs of climate-friendly industries so that Schleswig-Holstein can serve not only regional concerns but also international inquiries.

It is unavoidable to view the current shortage of skilled workers as one of the biggest future problems facing the economy. Collaboration between politics and business is essential to attract the urgently needed skilled workers of tomorrow. Martin Zucker will therefore not only have the management of the PwC branch in mind, but also the challenge of the regional skilled workers initiative - for Kiel and beyond!