Topic: Crisis Management

Ralf Schumacher

Ralf Schumacher is one of Germany’s best known sport’s stars, achieving no fewer than six race wins and 27 podium finishes during a Formula 1 career which spanned 11 seasons. Now an expert pundit for Sky Sports Germany, Ralf remains a familiar figure in the Formula 1 paddock and is a highly respected figure within the industry.

Born in Hürth, Ralf is the younger brother of seven-time Formula 1 World Champion Michael Schumacher, and together they created a memorable era in the sport’s history. The two brothers started karting from a young age at their parents’ go-kart track in Kerpen, with Ralf beginning when he was just three years old.

After a several seasons of karting success, including winning the 1992 German Junior KartChampionship, Ralf moved into car racing. He initially competed in Formula BMW before graduating to Formula 3 where he won the prestigious Macau Grand Prix and finished 2nd in the German F3 Championship, the Monaco F3 race and Masters of Formula 3 event.

In 1996 Ralf secured a seat in the Japanese Formula Nippon Series and became the first driver to win this major domestic championship in their debut season. This led to him testing for McLaren and, the following month, it was announced Ralf had signed a contract with the Silverstone-based Jordan Grand Prix team.

In only his third Formula 1 race, the 1997 Argentine Grand Prix, Ralf scored the first podium of his career and, at that time, became the youngest ever driver to achieve an F1 podium. The following season he added a further two podium finishes, including a record 1-2 maiden win for Jordan behind team mate Damon Hill at the 1998 Belgian Grand Prix.

In 1999 Ralf signed a contract with Williams and would ultimately drive for the team for six seasons. He achieved his first Grand Prix win with Williams in 2001 and picked up two further victories that season, leading to a fourth-placed finish in the World Drivers’ Championship. The following year, he added another win to his tally at the 2002 Malaysian Grand Prix, one of only two races that season to not be won by Ferrari.

At the 2003 French Grand Prix, Ralf and teammate Juan-Pablo Montoya delivered a triumphant victory for Williams, finishing first and second respectively. To date, this is the last time Williams achieved a one-two finish.

Between 2005 and 2007 Ralf drove for Toyota’s F1 team, scoring three further podium finishes, the last coming at the 2006 Australian Grand Prix.

After leaving Formula 1, Ralf explored several areas of motorsport. He joined the German Touring Car championship (DTM) and competed for five years before becoming a shareholder for Mücke Motorsport and entering into a managerial role. In this position, he has acted as a mentor to young drivers signed with Mercedes-Benz.

Ralf has also ventured into broadcasting and currently works with Sky Sports Germany, while his son David is a successful driver in both junior formulae and sports car racing.

Diego Pablo Simeone

Diego Pablo Simeone, otherwise called El Cholo, is an Argentine football star, with endless of accomplishments as a manager and former football player. He used to play as a midfielder.

At the point when his club vocation began in 1987, Simeone played for Vélez Sarsfield, Pisa, Sevilla, Atlético Madrid, Internazionale, Lazio and Racing Club. He won a local twofold with Atlético Madrid in 1996, and the UEFA Cup with Inter in 1998. As though this wasn't enough, he also won another residential twofold with Lazio in 2000, just as the 1999 UEFA Super Cup and the 2000 Supercoppa Italiana.

Diego Pablo Simeone played more than 100 times for the Argentina national group and represented the country at the 1994, 1998 and 2002 FIFA World Cups. He represented Copa América, in four releases winning the competition in 1991 and 1993. He additionally won the FIFA Confederations Cup in 1992, and a silver award at the 1996 Summer Olympic games.

Simeone also coached Racing Club, Estudiantes de La Plata, River Plate, San Lorenzo and Catania before joining Atlético Madrid in 2011. He won the Argentine Primera División both with Estudiantes and River Plate, an has won five titles since joining Atletico Madrid, including the Liga title, the Copa del Rey and the UEFA Europa League. He also arrived to two UEFA Champions League finals with the club.

Bertrand Piccard

The first surprising thing about Bertrand Piccard is the extreme diversity of his interests and abilities.

An explorer unconstrained by certitude and stereotypes, a pioneer of the human spirit more than an adventurer; he rejects all dogmas other than the need for all-embracing curiosity.

As an enthusiastic balloonist and aviator, Bertrand tackles challenges that others consider impossible. He made the first ever non-stop round-the-world flight in a balloon and launched the «Solar Impulse» project for a solar airplane, in which he flew from Europe to Africa without a single drop of fuel.

A doctor and psychiatrist, he derives from his training in hypnosis and his interest in oriental philosophies a different focus putting human beings and their quality of life in the foreground.

A real visionary, he formulates his projects’ pioneering philosophies and sketches out their symbolic significance and relevance for the public. The stratosphere and ocean depths attracted his forefathers, but the issues of today fascinate him: sustainable development, responsibility, the fight against poverty, technologies for environmental protection.

A persuasive communicator, he has a striking way of always trying to build bridges between the extremes in order to develop synergies instead of oppositions.

Through his books, lectures and interviews as well as in political encounters he tries to promote a human-oriented vision that leaves ample room for pioneering spirit and innovation in everyday life.

He is the president of the humanitarian foundation Winds of Hope and United Nations Goodwill Ambassador.

David Davies

David Davies OBE (born 1948) was an Executive Director of the the Football Association. He previously worked as sports correspondent for BBC Midlands Today as well as presenter from 1988 until 1994, and also appeared on BBC North West Tonight previously.

He started on BBC Wales Today in 1971. He became the BBC's political correspondent in 1983 and education correspondent in 1986. From television, he moved to the FA as its spokesman in 1994. He was acting chief executive of the FA in December 1998, when Graham Kelly resigned; he then became executive director in December 2003. He later had further spells as acting chief executive of the FA after the departures of Adam Crozier and then Mark Palios.

He was appointed an OBE in the New Year's Honours December 2006. David has recently resurrected his broadcasting skills by standing in occasionally on the Radio Five Live Sunday morning show Sportsweek.

In 2006 Davies was awarded an OBE by Her Majesty the Queen for services to sport. He is also a Royal Television Society Member and Council Member for the University of Birmingham.

In 2014, he became a trustee for CAFE, which campaigns across Europe for disability awareness, and the best access to sport for disabled people.