Daniel Strode

Daniel Strode is a culture strategist, keynote speaker and author who specialises in driving innovation, leadership transformation and workplace culture at scale. As Group Director of Culture and Strategy at Santander, he led a cultural transformation across 220,000 colleagues in 32 countries, guiding the bank's shift from traditional banking to a fully digital organisation. Author of The Culture Advantage, Daniel combines research with real-world insight to help organisations build environments where innovation thrives. His energetic, accessible sessions deliver practical tools and clarity on topics including culture strategy, AI in HR, and the future of work, empowering leadership teams and conference audiences to take meaningful action.

Leading a cultural transformation across 220,000 colleagues in 32 countries demands more than strategy, it requires the ability to align people, systems and leadership around a shared purpose. Daniel Strode achieved exactly that during his tenure as Group Director of Culture and Strategy at Santander, where he guided one of the world's largest banks through its evolution from a traditional bricks-and-mortar institution to a fully digital organisation. That experience, grounded in the complexity of global change at scale, now shapes the way he advises and speaks to organisations navigating their own transformation journeys. His ability to translate high-level ambition into practical, executable action has made him a trusted voice on culture, innovation and the future of work.

Daniel authored *The Culture Advantage*, a widely respected book that explores the eight traits shared by the world's most innovative companies, blending research with real-world insight to offer leaders a clear roadmap for building environments where innovation thrives. He has since expanded his work to include *The Innovator's Edge*, a collection of over 100 high-impact habits drawn from leading organisations, and *From Web1 to Web3*, which helps businesses lead confidently into emerging technology landscapes. His advisory work spans six continents and includes clients such as AECOM, Ferrari, the U.S. Government and IE University. He also teaches award-winning courses on innovation and emerging technology as an adjunct professor at IE University and Bologna Business School, combining academic rigour with commercial understanding. Whether delivering keynotes at major industry events like UNLEASH or working directly with leadership teams, Daniel's focus remains consistent: equipping people with the tools and clarity they need to drive meaningful, lasting change.

Daniel's sessions are known for their energy, accessibility and immediate relevance. He helps audiences move beyond abstract concepts and into actionable strategy, addressing topics including culture as competitive advantage, AI in human resources, innovation mindset and behaviour, and the future of leadership. His approach blends deep expertise with high practicality, empowering teams to unlock innovation, embed cultural change and future-proof their organisations. Audiences leave with more than inspiration; they gain frameworks, habits and insights they can apply the very next day, making Daniel a speaker who delivers both engagement and tangible business value.