Dan Pontefract

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When I was in discussions with my executive editor about the Flat Army cover, it took a nano-second for me to sign off on the first iteration from the Wiley art department. I'm biased, but I think it looks fantastic. After the front cover was sorted out, it was time for me to talk about my wishes for the back cover. Perhaps I'm naïve as a first-time author, but I insisted that there be no 'special' quotations from other authors or industry leaders on the back cover. When I interviewed Henry Mintzberg for the book he was quick to point out that he would not be providing a quotation for the back cover. "Fine with me," I said to Mr. Mintzberg. I don't think they have a part in today's publishing world either. Why? Let's say I did ask Mr. Mintzberg to pen a few words about Flat Army and/or Dan Pontefract. If he agreed to do it, he'd be forced to write something nice, wouldn't he? (and we had literally just met) What if I asked other colleagues/friends like Marcia Conner or Chuck Hamilton or Lang Davison or Mark Fidelman or Gautam Ghosh ... wouldn't they be compelled to write something nice as well? I didn't want to put quotations on the back cover because it smacks of elitism. Sure, I may not sell as many books due to the decision, but Flat Army is about being, well ... flat ... and having a few highly recognizable names on the back cover seems antithetical to the intent of the book. Instead, I defined flat, army and flat army and I'll let my words speak for the book as opposed to those of anyone else.

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Testimonials

Dan was incredibly collaborative, ensuring our session was tailored to meet our needs. He was both engaging and knowledgeable, using illustrative examples that showcased his expertise and providing tools for leaders to leverage immediately. Additionally, he injected a sense of fun that made the topic not only interesting but also entertaining.

Frank Monteleone, CHRO & CPO, Rexall Pharmacy Group Ltd.
Dan Pontefract delivered a powerful, thought‑provoking keynote session that resonated deeply with every attendee. His ability to blend compelling storytelling with actionable insights was nothing short of extraordinary.

Sidh NC, Director, QnA International, UAE
We are so proud to have had you at our event. Your talk was a big hit. It moved us. We can’t thank you enough.

Malin Björnell, Salesforce
Dan was engaging, authentic, and full of energy. His keynote connected with our audience and left them inspired. A true professional and a pleasure to work with.

Erin Whetstone, Ontario Retirement Communities Association (ORCA)
Dan Pontefract’s keynote on the importance of workplace culture in employee engagement was excellent. Dan used his vast leadership experience to provide our conference attendees with practical strategies to build teams that are engaged and committed. His relatable, real-life examples were thought provoking, memorable and very personal, creating a connection to the audience. I would highly recommend Dan as an entertaining keynote speaker who delivers content that is relevant and actionable.

Michelle Hillyard, Director SCU
Dan challenged us to have clarity of purpose, both as individuals and as an organization. He related inspiring stories drawing on his experience in business, technology and academia. As he said, ‘There is no ownership without belonging.’

Christian Pantel, D2L
Fantastic engaging talk for our global partner summit. Thank you so much, Dan!

Barb Kinnard, CEO Response Biomedical Corp
Dan not only brought his presentation to life with his charisma, but also content, style and presentation finesse. Our members were especially interested in his thought provoking and top of mind topic on the future of work and how we’re going to be leading the next generation of leaders.

Cheryl Goodwin, CPA
Dan is a conference organizer’s ideal speaker. Not only did he inspire and energize our group, but he also masterfully adapted his content so it resonated with the audience and our conference theme. As a bonus, Dan is able to nimbly navigate to adjust to a reduced time slot when other speakers went over time without sacrificing the impact of his session.

Director and General Counsel
Dan accomplished what we set out to do, which was not only to be inspirational, but also to leave everyone with tools and food for thought / self-reflection to improve their personal and professional lives.

Hermann Handa, FCT

Media Appearances