Dr. Damir Kralj

Dr. Damir Kralj is an executive and entrepreneur with more than two decades of international leadership experience across consulting, global automotive corporations, and entrepreneurial ventures. Educated in electrical and industrial engineering, he earned his PhD in Controlling at the University of Stuttgart under Prof. Péter Horváth, one of Europe’s foremost authorities in performance management. Dr. Kralj began his career at Horváth & Partners, advising global corporations on value creation and performance systems, before moving into leadership roles within the automotive industry.  At Mercedes-AMG, he built and led the Performance Studio, playing a key role in shaping iconic product models. Since 2013, he has held multiple leadership positions at Mercedes-Benz AG, with international end to end-responsibility across sales, market management, pricing, and electric vehicle services. In 2025, he founded with family members and friends the family owned Solarzone Group, focusing on scientific development of energy-efficient systems and the the technical use of solar energy, with a strong focus on delivering economically viable solutions. Alongside his executive career, Dr. Kralj has been engaged for many years in executive education at leading European institutions.