Nicola Winter

Nicola Winter was Germany’s second female fighter pilot ever and one of only three women to fly the coveted Eurofighter. She trained student pilots in the USA for several years in survival training and crisis management and held the rank of Major. After a tour in management consulting, she now works as a project manager for technology demonstrations at the German Aerospace Center (DLR e. V.) and as a lecturer in emergency and crisis management at the Carl Remigius University, while working towards her commercial helicopter pilot’s license. With vast industry knowledge and experience behind her, Nicola is now a popular keynote speaker for events internationally.

In 2017, together with Insa Thiele-Eich, Nicola Winter was selected as an astronaut candidate by the private initiative “Die Astronautin" against 400 competitors, which meant to launch the first German woman into space, but did not fully succeed due to a lack of finances. Nicola was not deterred and continues to pursue her childhood dream of flying into space; she knows there are many ways to achieve your goals: "I enjoy being a pioneer, the goal could just as well be the Moon or Mars!" In 2017, the Boston Consulting Group and Handelsblatt also named Nicola "Visionary of the Year". She convinced the selection committee because she continuously "overcomes technical, physical and social borders."

An inspiration to audiences globally, Nicola is now working as a member of the 'ESA' Astronaut Reserve, an opportunity which is allowing her to take one step closer to achieving her career goal of flying to the moon. Keen to share her specialist knowledge and experiences with audiences globally, she has appeared on a number of popular podcasts over recent years, including The Pioneer Podcast 'TechBriefing', and Handelsblatt Podcast 'RethinkWork'. Alongside this, Nicola also delivered the powerful TEDx Talk 'Military Leadership & Parenting' in 2023. Using best practice examples and numerous anecdotes, she is admired for showing individuals how to deal with setbacks, crises and stress in management positions and as a team.

In her engaging, enlightening and humorous keynotes, Nicola talks about how she was initially too short to become a pilot and yet still found greatness as a fast jet pilot and a leader. Nicola recounts what she learned during her time as a military officer, how modern, empathetic leadership is necessary, even for the biggest personalities, and how to keep calm even in the most critical moments. In doing so, she shares her accumulated fact-based knowledge and her wealth of practical experience. She is a sought-after panellist and, as an expert on several topics, is also available for workshops.