Insightful and provocative – David has given our organisation a lot to consider.
Biography
David has spent more than two decades working at the intersection of innovation, technology, and business transformation. He held multiple intrapreneurial roles at LEGO, including Senior Innovation Director in LEGO’s Future Lab and Head of Venturing, EMEA at LEGO Ventures, leading radical and digital innovation projects from early research and incubation through to full-scale launch. Using design thinking, lean start-up methods, agile development, and rapid prototyping, David helped LEGO remain a global leader in creativity and business performance.
He is the co-founder of Diplomatic Rebels, a boutique consultancy dedicated to helping organisations and intrapreneurs worldwide build agile, innovative cultures. David’s approach combines practical tools with inspirational storytelling, teaching companies how to structure innovation, engage employees, experiment safely, and scale new ideas. He believes that anyone can become a “Diplomatic Rebel” – a change-agent driving transformation from within.
David is an experienced international speaker with more than 250 keynotes, masterclasses, and workshops delivered to leading global brands, governments, and public organisations. His sessions mix concrete cases and personal experience with LEGO and other leading companies, offering actionable insights into innovation, intrapreneurship, and leadership in times of change. Recent highlights include keynote sessions at the Presidents’ Summit (warm-up for Bill Clinton), Invesco US, Nestle Switzerland, Siemens Energy Germany, and Fazer Innovation Event.
His work has helped organisations implement frameworks such as “The 5 Habits of High-Impact Intrapreneurs” and “The 5 Steps to Building a Culture of Intrapreneurship”, providing executives and intrapreneurs with tools to navigate disruption, lead change, and foster experimentation. He has also guided companies in adopting new technologies, digitalisation, and user-centric approaches, including AI, to transform business models and drive customer engagement.