Interview with the new managing director
Jana Katharina Fischer has been managing partner of the family holding company of the PTA Group (PTA GmbH, PTA Schweiz GmbH and DATIS-IT Services GmbH) for some time. Since 01.01.2024, she has also been Managing Director of PTA GmbH. In this interview, she provides insights into how all this developed, what strategies she will pursue and what her goals are.
Ms. Fischer, you are now Managing Director of the PTA. How did this come about and how did you prepare for it?
As a native of Mannheim, I have always had close ties to the city of squares and I have always had a strong connection to the PTA Group. That’s how I ended up studying at the Cooperative State University and the University of Mannheim. Even during my studies, I came to the conclusion that a career without a PTA was out of the question for me. I graduated from the Cooperative State University with a degree in business administration with a focus on cost and performance accounting. And as part of my Master’s degree at the University of Mannheim, I studied organizational theory and SME research. After completing my studies in 2013, I started working at PTA and have since been involved in strategic and personnel decisions as a co-partner on the management committees, gaining valuable insights.
Which business areas did you get to know in detail in the course of this?
Initially, I gained experience and know-how as part of project assignments with customers until I joined the corporate controlling department of the PTA Group and initiated and supported the DIN EN ISO 9001 and 13485 certification procedures. Through these activities, I got to know all the structures and processes of the PTA and, above all, the employees. The intensive professional exchange in administration and operations was very valuable for me.
They are therefore well networked in the PTA Group. What are the next steps?
I am looking forward to continuing to work with my colleagues and to the lively exchange within the management of PTA Germany with my father Peter Fischer, Matthias Wossidlo and Dr. Tim Walleyo. And as Managing Partner of the holding company, I am in close contact with our Managing Director Tim Köhler of PTA Schweiz GmbH and with Dennis Haßlöcher, Managing Director of DATIS-IT Services GmbH.
What strategies do you want to pursue and what goals have you set yourself?
We want to continue to live the values that make PTA a special company. The focus on my colleagues and our high level of customer satisfaction are my top priorities. In addition to these values, I would also like to provide new impetus and continuously adapt the framework conditions to the current situation. I am firmly convinced that we can continue to maintain a strong competitive position through forward-looking ideas that involve all stakeholders and through our flexibility. We have proven our mastery of entrepreneurial change many times over in our 50 years of existence. Recent developments, such as the redesign of our internal systems, which ensure administration from the first customer contact throughout the entire value chain, and the opening of PTA Consulting España GmbH, show me that we are on the right track to effectively support our numerous customer projects. And I would like to continue on this path together with the employees of the PTA Group.
With all the professional tasks you have to deal with, a more personal question is allowed at the end: What balance do you find to stay productive in your position?
I am an absolute family man and am lucky that our family members all live quite close to each other. I really value these family ties and enjoy the time I spend with my children. But I’m also happy when I find the peace and quiet to cook with friends or pick up a good book.
