5.4: Focus on future-ready leaders, with Danny Harmer

HR Most Influential Podcast

HR Most Influential Podcast
5.4: Focus on future-ready leaders, with Danny Harmer
Apr 30, 2026 Season 5 Episode 4
HR magazine

What defines great leadership? And how can HR support the leaders of the future?

Business leaders are facing rising pressure to take on a growing list of responsibilities, and employees’ expectations of people in leadership roles are rapidly evolving.

To help navigate these changes, and outline how organisations can best equip the leaders of tomorrow, we spoke to Danny Harmer, chief people officer for the insurer Aviva.

Harmer joined the HR Most Influential Hall of Fame list in 2025, after being recognised seven times as one of HR magazine’s most influential practitioners.

Episode Artwork 5.4: Focus on future-ready leaders, with Danny Harmer 45:53 Episode Artwork 5.3: Why autonomous working is the future, with Alex Hirst and Lizzie Penny 46:37 Episode Artwork 5.2: How to better care for carers, with Natalie Quilter 45:07 Episode Artwork 5.1: Adapt to win, with Tim Pointer 48:45 Episode Artwork HR Focus (7): Innovation success secrets from Experian 32:44 Episode Artwork HR Focus (6): Perfecting positive company culture 19:19 Episode Artwork 4.5 Transformational performance management, with David Liddle 44:40 Episode Artwork HR Focus (5): How to align wellbeing and ESG strategy 36:53 Episode Artwork HR Focus (4): Leadership success secrets from Admiral 29:47 Episode Artwork 4.4 Inclusion is the answer to everything, with Aggie Mutuma 39:53 Episode Artwork 4.3 Defending the profession, with David Blackburn 42:06 Episode Artwork 4.2 Personal branding gets you noticed, with Georgina Kelly 37:25 Episode Artwork 4.1 The future of HR (is giving transactional work the boot), with James Devine 36:40 Episode Artwork 3.6 Taking the pulse, with Tiger de Souza 33:06 Episode Artwork 3.5 How to work with your CEO, with Kerry Smith 37:38 Episode Artwork 3.4 Don't let DEI die, with Woosh Raza 38:47 Episode Artwork 3.3 Siding against stress, with Rachel Lewis 38:42 Episode Artwork HR Focus (3): How to introduce AI to talent management 39:37 Episode Artwork 3.2 When change meets resistance, with Pam Parkes 36:11 Episode Artwork HR Focus (2): The Talent Mismatch 36:55 Episode Artwork 3.1 Hyper-personalisation, with Bertie Tonks 37:56 Episode Artwork HR Focus (1): SME Talent 40:18 Episode Artwork 2.7 Understanding employee experience, with Jabbar Sardar 36:53 Episode Artwork 2.6 Putting the 'S' in ESG, with Neil Morrison 35:14 Episode Artwork 2.5 Solving the hybrid working conundrum, with Gemma Dale 41:10