In the latest instalment of our Inspiring Leaders series, we speak to Dan Porter, Early Careers Lead, about the experiences that have shaped his career and leadership journey. Dan’s story highlights the value of embracing opportunities, building strong relationships and continually striving to grow. 

My Role At Chubb

I’m proud to be the Early Careers Lead at Chubb Fire & Security UK&I, a role I was promoted into after several years of working within the business. Prior to that, I was a Talent Acquisition Business Partner, supporting the engineering side of the business. I joined the business in 2023 after previously working in recruitment. I’ve always had a keen eye for spotting and nurturing talent.

My role now is all about attracting, developing, and supporting the next generation of talent at Chubb. I lead our apprenticeship and early careers programmes across the UK and Ireland, working closely with apprentices, line managers, training providers and senior leaders to create meaningful development opportunities and clear career pathways.

What makes the role so rewarding is the opportunity to genuinely influence people’s careers. Whether it’s helping someone take their first step into the workplace, supporting them through their apprenticeship journey, or preparing them for long-term success within the business, every interaction has the potential to make a lasting difference.

Early careers programmes are not just about recruitment, they are about building confidence, developing skills, and creating future leaders for the organisation.

Our ambition at Chubb is to create an outstanding early careers experience that helps people realise their potential while supporting the future growth of the business. We want to ensure that talent from all backgrounds has access to opportunities, feels supported from day one and can build a long and career with us. By investing in apprentices and early career talent, we’re developing the skills our industry needs for the future while helping individuals achieve their own career aspirations.

My Approach to Leadership

For me, leadership isn’t about job titles. It’s about influence, trust, communication, and reliability.

Over the years, I’ve learned that people respond best when they understand your intentions, trust your judgement and feel that you’re genuinely invested in achieving shared goals.

I’ve also been fortunate to have managers throughout my career who have seen potential in me that I didn’t always recognise myself. Their encouragement has pushed me to take opportunities and challenge myself in ways I may not have otherwise considered. That’s had a lasting influence on how I approach leadership today.

Opportunities That Made a Difference

What has really stood out during my time at Chubb is the opportunities I’ve been given to grow. I’ve also been fortunate to work with leaders who have encouraged me to step outside my comfort zone and take on new challenges.

Michelle Thistlethwaite, Talent Acquisition Leader, one of my managers, was instrumental in giving me opportunities to broaden my experience. Whether it was contributing to wellbeing initiatives, supporting strategic projects, or presenting to senior leaders, those experiences helped me develop new skills and confidence.

One thing I’m incredibly proud of is leading our apprenticeship recruitment programme internally. It challenged me to think more strategically, manage a large-scale project and demonstrate what could be achieved by bringing key recruitment activity in-house. It was a fantastic opportunity to showcase what we could achieve as a team and, most importantly, it has helped us bring some brilliant talent into the business.

A Bit About Me

I was born and raised in Southport and, although I’m an only child, I grew up surrounded by a huge family. To put it into perspective, my grandmother had 14 children, and my mum was the 13th. Family gatherings were never quiet!

Academically, I did well enough, but I was the child who was always talking, making people laugh and occasionally getting distracted. A few years ago, I was diagnosed with ADHD, which explained a lot and suddenly, many of those childhood behaviours made perfect sense.

I studied Sports Journalism at University in Leeds. As with many students, university wasn’t just about lectures and assignments, I loved the social side of university life too. It was there I made lifelong friendships and fell in love with the city. After graduating, I stayed for a few years before moving in with my girlfriend, now wife, Eve. We made the spontaneous decision to set off travelling across Southeast Asia and Australia. What started as an adventure quickly became a major chapter of our lives as we ended up living in Australia for almost ten years.

Our first few months were spent doing farm work in Mildura, a rural area in Northern Victoria. It was hard work, often in intense heat, but also an incredible experience. I found myself driving tractors and getting involved in all aspects of farming, something I had never imagined doing!

After nearly a decade overseas, we made the decision to return to the UK. Family played a huge part in that decision. Since returning, we’ve got married, bought our home and welcomed twin daughters. They’re now six years old and bring endless energy, fun and laughter into our lives.

Looking Ahead

When it comes to future ambitions, I try not to focus too far ahead. If I’ve learned anything from my career so far, it’s that opportunities often appear where you least expect them.

My goal is simply to keep improving every day, even if it’s only by a small amount. If I continue doing that, I’m confident the future will look after itself.