Deutsche Telekom sets up hub in Thessaloniki
Following OTE’s announcements, in December 2021, for investments of the order of 3 billion euros until 2027 in fiber-optics networks and the meeting last February of Prime Minister Kyriakos Mitsotakis with the managing director of Deutsche Telekom, Tim Hottges, the main shareholder of the telecommunications group has proceeded to create an information technology and software center in Thessaloniki.
The work of the Telekom IT hub has already started, with IT professionals being gradually transferred from abroad, while in total more than 200 people will be hired. The center will cover the IT and communications technology needs of the German company in Greece, supplying IT and software services.
As announced on Monday, the contribution of the Migration Ministry was very important for the implementation of the investment, as it activated the state mechanism and accelerated the procedures for the establishment and establishment of the company in Greece. Among other things, it facilitated the immediate transfer and relocation of IT experts.
At the same time, there was close cooperation with the Foreign Ministry to facilitate their entry into the country and the competent Ministry of Labor and Social Affairs and the E-Government Center for Social Security (IDIKA) to register them in the healthcare and social security systems, in order to complete their recruitment process.
It is noted that DT chose Greece for the creation of the hub because of geopolitical developments, while a catalytic role belonged, according to sources, to the fact that the Greek government very quickly completed the prerequisites for IT experts from third countries to be able to work in Greece.
“We have chosen Greece for the establishment of the Telekom IT hub both for the level and training of the country’s human resources as well as for the practical support provided by the state to investment initiatives. I warmly thank the political leadership of the country, especially the Ministry of Migration and Asylum, for the swift and coordinated actions, thanks to which the Telekom IT hub in Thessaloniki became a reality,” said Peter Leukert, Deutsche Telekom Group CIO and CEO of Telekom IT.
