Breaking the Mold: How Leadership Is Evolving and Why It Matters

Purpose-driven with a strategic mindset supported by an operational background. Passionate about helping people thrive in dynamic organizational cultures through practical actions. Energized by communicating, collaborating, and activating innovative ideas to move organizational strategy and culture forward.

Deon’s over 25-year career has centred on helping diverse business groups operate with alignment while also enabling important nuances - from brick-and-mortar retail markets to corporate office departments, to multinational travel and tourism divisions, and now international law firm markets.

He completed a Master of Arts in Organizational Leadership with completion of an action research inquiry thesis to address how to enhance leaders' capacity to manage consistently increasing organizational complexity.

Reporting directly to the Chief People Officer, and a key member of the People Leadership Team at Gowling WLG. With leadership of P&C services, national core P&C, talent acquisition shared services and alumni relations across the Firm, placing primary focuses are on leading culture building initiatives that unite the Firm nationally, supporting the design and implementation of a people first, people & culture strategy, and modernizing people & culture approaches to the Firm member lifecycle elements. Deon brings a modern and operational approach to change management, project management and communications to the portfolio.