David Walden

David Walden is a Director at Stanton Chase with more than 15 years of global leadership advisory and executive search experience. A former public company Chief People Officer, David partners with boards, CEOs, and executive teams to build high-performing leadership infrastructures that support sustainable growth and organizational transformation.

David specializes in C-suite and senior executive placements across functions, with particular depth in Chief Human Resources Officer and senior HR leadership roles, as well as cross-functional executive assignments spanning operations, finance, product, and commercial leadership. His approach integrates rigorous assessment methodology, organizational design insight, and a sharp focus on culture alignment and long-term performance. Having served as the senior HR executive inside complex, global organizations, David understands firsthand the strategic implications of executive hiring decisions and succession planning.

Prior to joining Stanton Chase, David held senior human capital leadership roles across both the United States and the United Kingdom. He recently served as Chief People Officer at Darktrace, a global cybersecurity AI leader with more than 2,300 employees across 28 countries. He previously held executive HR leadership roles with AALTO HAPS (an Airbus subsidiary), PeopleScout, the XFL, T. Rowe Price, Etsy, AOL Platforms, and Capital One. His experience spans publicly traded companies, high-growth technology organizations, PE-backed environments, and global enterprises navigating rapid scale and change.

David began his career in executive recruiting and later returned to leadership advisory after serving in senior operating roles, giving him a rare dual perspective as both client and advisor. His international experience across North America and Europe provides him with a nuanced understanding of cross-border leadership dynamics and global talent strategy.

David holds a B.S. (Honors) in Management Sciences from Loughborough University and a Master of Science in Human Resources from the University of Louisville. He holds Hogan Assessments certification and has completed advanced certifications in AI for HR transformation and generative AI applications in talent acquisition.

Outside of his professional work, David is a former competitive swimmer and collegiate coach. He has been an Assistant Coach at the swimming programs of the University of Louisville and Auburn University. While at Auburn, he was part of a national championship-winning team and has coached multiple Olympic swimmers. He and his wife are the proud parents of three boys.