Keynote SpeakerRalph Krueger

Ralph Krueger was chosen to coach Team Europe in the 2016 World Cup of Hockey. He joined the Edmonton Oilers, the Canadian ice hockey team as their Associate Coach in 2010. He is also known for his involvement in the World Economic Forum, where since 2011 he has been a Member, Global Agenda Council on New Models of Leadership.

Prior to this, Ralph Krueger was the Head Coach of the Swiss National Team. During his tenure from 1997-2010, he advanced the Swiss National Team Program from 15th to 7th in the IIHF World Rankings. He guided the team to a 6th place finish at the Olympics in 2006 and 4th in the World Championship in 1998. He has participated in 12 World Championships and three Olympics.

Prior to joining the Swiss National Team, Ralph was the General Manager and Head Coach of VEU Feldkirch in the Austrian 1st Division from 1991-1998. Under his leadership, they were a five-time Austrian Champion, three-time Alpenleague Champion and the 1998 European Champion.

Ralph Krueger played his major junior hockey in the WCHL with New Westminster and Calgary before playing in the German 1st Division from 1979-1989. He was also part of the German National Team from 1981-1986 in which the he participated in the World Championship twice.

Krueger, who wrote a German best-seller called “TEAMLIFE – Over Setbacks to Success”, has also served as a European Consultant with the Carolina Hurricanes from 2005 until now.

Ralph Krueger bases his success on hard work and high-quality communication, and describes himself as an optimistic realist. He believes in the power of metaphor and rhetoric. In his presentations Ralph explores the elements necessary to build a high performance team, placing team spirit above individual success, a philosophy he also explores in his book.