Sven Gerzer has over 20 years of experience helping international businesses and economic development organizations (EDOs) achieve their goals. He advises companies on site selection and foreign direct investment (FDI) in the United States, including location strategy, labor market analysis, logistics and supply chain analysis, and financial incentives. He also consults with EDOs on their initiatives to recruit international businesses.
Sven grew up and began his economic development career in Munich, Germany. He is bilingual in German and English, proficient in French, and has an extensive network in Europe, with particularly deep ties in Germany, Switzerland, and Austria. He has led an American state's European office, served as vice president of an EDO in one of the United States' fastest-growing cities, and managed a team of location strategy professionals at a Big Four consulting firm. His background enables him to advise clients on the cultural nuances that are key to success and bridge the gap that can exist between what clients and community leaders want.
In his site selection practice, Sven advises clients on a range of critical points related to U.S. market access. In his previous role at Deloitte, he offered a portfolio of location strategy solutions and site selection services for complex manufacturing projects, headquarter relocations, and global business services — utilizing a combination of qualitative and quantitative approaches. He has a strong background in carbon reduction location strategy projects, machine and machine tool manufacturing, advanced manufacturing technology, and Industry 4.0. His clients have ranged from Fortune 500 to midsize companies.
In his EDO practice, Sven advises economic development leaders on which international markets present the most opportunity for their communities, which industries from those markets to target, and how to recruit in those markets and industries. He has experience with urban, suburban, and rural communities. Earlier in his career, Sven was responsible for the entire cycle of business attraction, consulting services, and existing industry growth for FDI from Europe and India at the Charlotte Chamber of Commerce (now the Charlotte Regional Business Alliance). He played a role in 110 announced projects creating more than 8,500 direct jobs. Prior to that, he led the State of West Virginia's European Office in Munich, Germany for seven years.
The Charlotte mayor honored Sven in 2024 with the Global Leader Award for his outstanding service connecting the community to international markets. Additionally, he served on the board of the Deutsche Schule Charlotte (German School Charlotte), the City of Charlotte International Cabinet (advising city council on international business and immigrant integration), and on the leadership board of the German American Chamber of Commerce's North Carolina Chapter.