By: Joshua Finley

Business transformation is as much about people as it is about strategy. In today’s corporate landscape, leaders who understand this balance are increasingly rare – yet they’re the ones driving meaningful change. Through a near 25-year career in Canadian financial services that started at a bank teller window, Daniele Laratta has shown how genuine leadership and adaptability can reshape organizations while building strong teams. His approach balances the hard metrics of business performance with the human elements of team development and client relationships, all while maintaining an active role in community service and family life.

Building a Career Through Adaptability

Though Daniele initially planned to become a teacher, life took him in a different direction. “I was working part-time for the bank as a teller and it certainly wouldn’t have been the words I used – I wasn’t mature enough at the time – but I think it was really great leaders around me that said ‘hey you’ve got a knack for this,'” he shares. Those early mentors saw potential in him that he hadn’t yet recognized himself. Throughout his career, Daniele has focused on understanding business problems and breaking them down into actionable strategies. His expertise spans transformation work and customer experience, with a particular talent for balancing team needs while delivering results. Each role and challenge has contributed to his growth as a leader.

Focusing on the Human Side of Leadership

For Daniele, leadership begins with genuine care for team members. “If you don’t care about the people on the team, they can feel that,” he explains. “When you care for the people on your team and when they know you genuinely care and you put their priorities first, they show up for you in spades in their work.” This people-first approach has helped him tackle major organizational challenges. In one instance, he successfully addressed issues around employee satisfaction that were affecting customer experience and revenue. “Working through cultural change from an employee experience perspective and tying that to client experience – that’s something I’m really proud of,” he notes.

When faced with common business hurdles like performance issues or budget constraints, Daniele takes a methodical approach. “What seems to be successful for me is to really break it down to simple actionable items. Do we actually understand the problem? How do you want to address that problem? And build a plan to execute against it,” he explains. His strategy emphasizes clear communication and helping team members see their role in the bigger picture. “You need everybody rowing in the same direction, and that requires effective communication and an ability to really help people understand what you’re doing is important and benefiting the broader organization and the clients we serve.”

Leading Through Personal Experience

Outside of his corporate role, Daniele served as chapter president for Cystic Fibrosis Canada, inspired by his daughter who lives with two chronic illnesses. Under his leadership, the local chapter had raised over $300,000 for CF Canada in the past three years. This personal connection has deepened his appreciation for healthcare and non-profit sectors. “I can’t ask anybody in the general community to do more to support the needs of my family or my daughter and her causes if I’m not doing everything I can possibly do to generate awareness, advocate, fundraise, and promote,” he states. This commitment to giving back has shaped both his personal and professional outlook.

Keys to Sustained Success

Drawing from his experiences, Daniele emphasizes several principles for success:

• Following Instincts: “I truly follow my gut. There is instinct that comes with your experience and you should follow it,” he advises.
• Client-Centric Focus: “Always putting the client, whoever your client is, in the center of all your decision-making is something that will not change for me and has proven to ensure success.”
• Maintaining Balance: “You make time for what you value and what you want to do,” he explains, discussing how he manages multiple roles as a corporate leader, community advocate, husband and father.

While proud of his accomplishments in financial services, Daniele sees broader applications for his skills. His goal is showing the broader community his ability to solve various business problems through tailored approaches. “What works for one doesn’t always work for the next, but we can tailor my approach and your approach to be able to help get the job done,” he shares. His advice for those starting their careers? “Be open to new ideas and be patient. If I was so rigid about my career path, this life over the last 20 years would have looked very different.”

To learn more about Daniele Laratta and his approach, check out his LinkedIn profile or visit his website.

Disclaimer: This article is intended for informational purposes only and is based on publicly available information and interviews. The views expressed are those of the author and do not necessarily reflect the official position of any organization or individual mentioned. All claims about achievements and outcomes have been presented based on available evidence and should not be interpreted as guarantees of future performance. No compensation or sponsorship has influenced the content of this article unless explicitly stated. Links to external websites or profiles, such as LinkedIn, are provided for convenience and do not constitute endorsements.

Published by Mark V.