Univ.-Prof. Dr. Martin Kocher was born in 1973 in Salzburg and grew up in Altenmarkt/Zauchensee. After his studies in Economics at the University of Innsbruck, he worked there as Research Assistant at the Department for Public Finance. He continued to pursue an international academic career at universities in Munich, Amsterdam, Norwich and Goteborg.
From 2016 to 2021, Martin Kocher was Scientific Director at the Institute for Advanced Studies (IHS) in Vienna as well as Head of the Competence Centre for Behavioral Economics “Insight Austria” at the IHS. Kocher was also President of the Austrian Fiscal Advisory Council (FISK).
On 11 January 2021, Martin Kocher was appointed Federal Minister for Labour, Family and Youth by Federal President Alexander Van der Bellen. With the amendment of the Ministerial Law (Bundesministeriengesetz), the areas of Family and Youth have been transferred to the Federal Chancellery. Since 1 February 2021, Martin Kocher is Federal Minister for Labour. Martin Kocher was appointed as Federal Minister for Digital and Economic Affairs on 11 May 2022. Since 18 July 2022, Martin Kocher is Federal Minister of Labour and Economy.