Peter Hartz is a German businessman and politician, best known for his role in labor market reforms in Germany during the early 2000s. He was the head of the Volkswagen company and later became an advisor to the German government. His name is associated with the "Hartz reforms," which aimed to reduce unemployment and improve the efficiency of the welfare system. The Hartz reforms included measures such as the introduction of Hartz I to IV, which restructured unemployment benefits and promoted job placement services. These reforms were controversial but significantly impacted Germany's labor market, contributing to a decrease in unemployment rates in the following years.