Spotlight on Daniel Holden, Chief People Officer, Nestlé USA

I've worked in a variety of legal, commercial and HR roles, and I now have the privilege of leading the Nestlé USA HR team, supporting a +$12B business and over 30,000 people. I have experience leading end-to-end HR operations, large-scale organization transformations and enterprise-wide culture reinventions. I've also spent significant time driving innovation within large organizations and building growth strategies beyond core business competencies. Over the last 3 years, I've moved with my wife and 2 kids from Canada to Switzerland to the US, and we're very happy to be making Washington, DC our long-term home. 

Learn more about the Washington, DC CHRO community here.
 

Give us a brief overview of the path that led to your current role.

I started my career as a litigator at a large law firm in Canada and then moved in-house. Within Nestlé in Canada, I worked as the General Counsel, and then had the good fortune to take on the Head of HR role, as well, for a number of years. I moved to Switzerland for a few years for a commercial role, and I'm now very happy to be back in HR and living in the US.

What is one of your guiding leadership principles?

“Between stimulus and response there is a space. In that space is our power to choose our response. In our response lies our growth and our freedom.” – Viktor Frankl
 

What is the greatest challenge CHROs face today, and how are you addressing it?

Managing massive organizational transformation while keeping our people focused on the business and engaged.
 

What is the key to success for someone just starting out as a CHRO?

Surround yourself with the right people.
 

How do you measure success as a leader?

How much do I contribute to unlocking the potential of those around me?
 

Governing Body members share their insights and leadership perspectives to shape the agendas and topics that address the top priorities impacting business leaders today.