At the age of 22, Philip Keil was one of the youngest commercial pilots in Germany in 2003. He wanted to get to know the world and flew for several years in the USA, Canada and Great Britain.

His logbook reads impressively: over 9,000 flying hours, thousands of take-offs and landings on four continents and in almost all climate zones. The importance of good preparation and training was confirmed for Philip Keil on February 24, 2009, when a routine flight in Africa with almost 200 people on board turned into an acute emergency. Philip Keil is able to bring the situation under control and land the plane safely. A few days later, he is back in the cockpit.

Philip Keil opens the cockpit door for his audience. As a manager above the clouds, he talks about his practical experience:

  • Leadership and decision making
  • Teamwork and communication
  • Dealing with change
  • Positive error culture

Philip Keil combines exciting storytelling with valuable expert knowledge. He designs his presentations individually and in personal discussions with his clients. Philip Keil has reached tens of thousands of people in over 20 countries in Europe and Asia with his keynote speeches.

Philip Keil lecture topics

Teamwork, communication & empowerment

Flying is teamwork. What is the secret of successful teams? Why do teams fail? This award-winning keynote speech transfers “crew resource management” from aviation to the corporate world.

  • Courage to make “survivable” mistakes: trust comes from “daring”
  • Strengthening personal responsibility: clear roles instead of steep hierarchies
  • The crew makes the difference: achieving goals means reaching people

Leadership, Error culture & Trust

A wrong decision is better than no decision – even in the corporate cockpit. As a manager above the clouds, Philip Keil talks about positive error culture and what makes a good decision.

  • You can’t pull over to the right: making safe decisions with a clear focus
  • Trust is the fuel for success: growth outside the comfort zone
  • How a positive error culture works: don’t ask WHO, understand the WHY

Motivation, change management & resilience

What role does the “inner compass” play in our thoughts and actions? And what often stops us from following it? A captivating motivational talk about comfort zones, hard landings and the courage to change perspective.

  • Pilot or passenger? Accepting challenges and growing
  • The inner compass: A guide in times of change
  • “We’ve always done it this way”: when routines become a brake pad

Philip Keil has been on stage as a keynote speaker throughout Europe since 2014. He has been listed internationally as a “TOP100 Excellent Keynote Speaker” since 2017. In 2019 and 2020, Philip Keil was nominated for the Red Fox Award as Germany’s “Keynote Speaker of the Year”. Philip Keil also offers all presentations in English. He has lived in the USA, Canada and Great Britain for several years. Philip Keil has reached tens of thousands of people in over 20 countries in Europe and Asia with his keynote speeches. He likes to follow his keynote and presentation with a panel discussion or Q&A session.

Book Philip Keil for presentations with The Premium Speakers Agency.

Oliver Stoldt' opinion on Philip Keil
Philip Keil grabs his audience with experiences from the cockpit and clear statements. He is a master of storytelling and perfectly spans the arc from aviation to entrepreneurship. One of the best speakers and experts on leadership, error culture and teamwork. Book pilot Philip Keil for presentations with The Premium Speakers Bureau