Swiss Quality

Management

Foto KollerDr. Karl J. Koller is the CEO and Founder of the Institute for Total Quality Management (ITQM), Zurich, Switzerland.

He earned a master's degree in Business Administration (MBA) and received his Doctorate in Management from the University of St. Gallen, Switzerland. He worked and studied in the USA for several years (Boston University, University of California - Los Angeles, University of Chicago).

Dr. Koller has more than 30 years of practical experience with international companies as well as with government organizations and universities (Europe, USA, Asia, GCC Countries). He has been working in the field of Total Quality Management for many years with focus on management in the TQM process and on the EFQM Excellence Model. During his doctoral studies he spent two years as a visiting research fellow at Northwestern University, Evanston, IL, USA. In addition to his consulting activities, he spent several years as a visiting faculty member for Total Quality Management at a number of universities. He is a Functional Partner for Business Excellence Governance at the International Board Foundation (IBF) at the University of St. Gallen, Switzerland.

Dr. Koller has published several articles about Quality Management and Excellence and presented at national and international conferences for Quality Management. He is the author of the Global Guidelines on the Corporate Governance of Business Excellence, published by the International Board Foundation (IBF). 

He conducts TQM study tours within the USA and Europe on a regular basis (TQM in Manufacturing, Logistics, Higher Education, Health Care, Hospitality, Service). Dr. Koller is an Assessor for the EFQM Excellence Award (formerly the European Quality Award) and a Licensed Trainer/Advisor/Validator of the European Foundation for Quality Management (EFQM), a Certified EFQM Innovation Leader, a Six Sigma Black Belt (ASQ) and a QFD Black Belt (QFDI). He is a Certified Change Manager (PROSCI), and a Certified Trainer/Facilitator for Large Conferences. He is a Senior Member of the American Society for Quality (ASQ), a Member of the Association of Change Management Professionals (ACMP).

During the last 20 years, Dr. Koller focused his work internationally on the use of the EFQM Excellence Model, the involvement of top management in the TQM / Excellence process and the introduction of TQM / Excellence in various industries.

  • The workshop gave me a very good understanding about Excellence in Education. I liked to work with the case study. This was one of the best trainings I have participated during the last years.

    Prof. Dr. Jakob Kübarsepp, Vice-Rector of Academic Affairs, Tallinn University of Technology, Tallinn, Estonia
  • I have attended the EFQM Foundation Training by ITQM. It was a very good experience, which I recommend to every person who intends to explore new ways of managerial thinking and to every organization that needs to increase the efficiency and the outcome of its organization. The training was supported with case studies, live examples and documents, which I can refer to and build on, to translate into my day to day work. I am looking forward to attend  the EFQM Assessor Training by ITQM.”

    Alain Mahrouk, Senior Operations Manager, Burj Al Hamam Restaurants Company, Riyadh, KSA
  • I liked the workshop very much. The training gave me new insights to move our organization towards Excellence.

    Mr. Abdulmajeed Albatati, Director for TQM, Jeddah Municipality, Jeddah, KSA