We recently had the pleasure of catching up with Daniel Hayter, the former Global Head of Corporate Business Development & Client Service at Guidepoint. Daniel worked with us from 2018 to 2021, where he played a pivotal role in driving business growth, expanding client relationships, and managing high-level service delivery. In this interview, Daniel shares his learning about Guidepoint years before actually joining, managing a diverse team, and where he hopes to be in five years.
When did you work at Guidepoint?
Daniel: January 2018 – July 2021
How did you discover Guidepoint?
Daniel: I originally interviewed for a role in 2015 which didn’t work out, and then in 2017 Priscilla Gulino persistently encouraged me to join the team which I did a few months later.
Which team/office were you part of?
Daniel: I was in New York and headed the business development team for Corporate.
What position did you hold during your time?
Daniel: Global Head of Corporate Business Development and Client Service.
What were some of your main responsibilities?
Daniel: To grow the corporate business globally, increasing revenues and opening up markets we weren’t active in (such as Asia etc.)
What do you think your biggest accomplishment was while working here?
Daniel: Revenues grew significantly in the nearly 4 years I was at Guidepoint. We grew the business not just in the US, but also in the UK and opened up corporate opportunities in Hong Kong, Tokyo, Singapore, Seoul and Shanghai.
What skills did you gain or strengthen while working at Guidepoint?
Daniel: Managing a diverse and growing team around the world, all of whom had different requirements to be successful and grow the business.
How did Guidepoint help prepare you for the role you’re in now?
Daniel: In my current role I have to manage many different stakeholders, similar to the role I had at Guidepoint.
Where do you hope your career takes you in the next 5 years?
Daniel: I’d very much like to take up Non-Executive Director roles and leverage my experience to help a number of growing companies.
Who would you consider to be your biggest career inspiration at Guidepoint or outside of the company?
Daniel: I learned a lot from my peers such as John Campanella the CFO, the head of London Jon Adkins, Mike and Stacey as well as from Albert himself. However, I also learned a lot about the business from the people I was managing and what drove their success.
Did you make any friends that you’re still in touch with now?
Daniel: I do occasionally here from people who I managed as well as some of my peers. Some of my team will still let me know about their successes and what they are up to.
What was the most interesting or rewarding part of working in the expert network industry?
Daniel: By far the most interesting part was speaking with the clients and understanding the projects they wanted to undertake and how those fitted into wider corporate strategies. Some were fascinating – both in terms of their geographies, project strategies and how they fitted into their current business.
What advice would you give to someone applying to Guidepoint?
Daniel: Be creative. Work hard. Listen and learn from peers and never shy away from articulating your ideas and what you think will work. Always be prepared to try something different and challenge the status quo
What would you consider yourself an expert at?
Daniel: I think I have excelled at managing people and helping to grow a business. I am delighted to hear about the continuing success of the department long after I have left!