Skip to main content

On my way back from the Geneva Car Show, I finished another book of Jeremy Clarkson. Honestly, I loved every word.  Well, I know… he is getting a bit (ok, a lot) older, a bit tougher, and a bit grumpier. But, he is still a darn good driver, and the best Top Gear presenter the world will ever know. And yes, he is a bit homophobic, xenophobic, claustrophobic, hypochondriac, woman-helpless and generally political incorrect. And I love him for every bit of it, because he is so endearingly honest, straight and madly testosterone driven. He hates diesel, small cars, Europeans in general, Japanese wheels, Americans and rules by default. He will be the last one on the barricades, shouting “Rule the waves”. He hates cars that go slow, have less than enough horsepower and take an eternity to reach 100/hour. And above all, this grumpy slightly balding man drips his pen in pure vinegar, and writes with a vengeance. And he writes the way he drives: without compromises, fast, and relentless. On the edge. Ridiculously funny. And for crying out loud: you have to forgive him all the rest

Danny Devriendt is the Managing Director of IPG/Dynamic in Brussels, and the CEO of The Eye of Horus, a global think-tank focusing on innovative technology topics. With a proven track record in leadership mentoring, C-level whispering, strategic communications and a knack for spotting meaningful trends, Danny challenges the status quo and embodies change. Attuned to the subtlest signals from the digital landscape, Danny identifies significant trends in science, economics, culture, society, and technology and assesses their potential impact on brands, organizations, and individuals. His ability for bringing creative ideas, valuable insights, and unconventional solutions to life, makes him an invaluable partner and energizing advisor for top executives. Specializing in innovation -and the corporate communications, influence, strategic positioning, exponential change, and (e)reputation that come with it-, Danny is the secret weapon that you hope your competitors never tap into. As a guest lecturer at a plethora of universities and institutions, he loves to share his expertise with future (and current) generations. Having studied Educational Sciences and Agogics, Danny's passion for people, Schrödinger's cat, quantum mechanics, and The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy fuels his unique, outside-of-the-box thinking. He never panics. Previously a journalist in Belgium and the UK, Danny joined IPG Mediabrands in 2012 after serving as a global EVP Digital and Social for the Porter Novelli network (Omnicom). His expertise in managing global, regional, or local teams; delivering measurable business growth; navigating fierce competition; and meeting challenging deadlines makes him an seasoned leader. (He has a microwave at home.) An energetic presenter, he brought his enthusiasm, clicker and inspiring slides to over 300 global events, including SXSW, SMD, DMEXCO, Bluetooth World Congress, GSMA MWC, and Cebit. He worked with an impressive portfolio of clients like Bayer AG, 3M, Coca Cola, KPMG, Tele Atlas, Parrot, The Belgian National Lottery, McDonald's, Colruyt, Randstad, Barco, Veolia, Alten, Dow, PWC, the European Commission, Belfius, and HP. He played a pivotal role in Bluetooth's global success. Ranked 3rd most influential ad executive on Twitter by Business Insider and listed among the top 10 ad execs to follow by CEO Magazine, Danny also enjoys writing poetry and short stories, earning several literary awards in Belgium and the Netherlands. Fluent in Dutch, French, and English, Danny is an eager and versatile communicator. His BBQ skills are legendary.

Leave a Reply

This site uses Akismet to reduce spam. Learn how your comment data is processed.

Discover more from Heliade

Subscribe now to keep reading and get access to the full archive.

Continue reading