🎤 Introduction
In this episode of Bridging Talks, host Majid Hashmi speaks with Dan Ring, UK-born HR Consultant, Founder of Elevate, and creator of The People Protocol — a data-driven performance management system helping companies operate with more clarity, accountability, and transparency.
Dan shares his journey from studying English Literature to becoming a Global HR Business Partner in the UK, Singapore, and Japan, and ultimately launching his own HR consultancy in Tokyo. We explore the changing world of HR, the impact of AI on the workplace, differences between Japanese and Western business culture, and how foreign founders can thrive in Japan’s emerging startup ecosystem.
🎯 In This Episode:
• 00:00 – Introduction & welcome
• 00:34 – Who is Dan Ring? From UK HRBP to founder of Elevate
• 01:50 – Technical note (cut/edit section)
• 05:08 – What is The People Protocol? Data-driven performance management
• 07:37 – The core problems Elevate solves: data, time, transparency
• 09:12 – Dan’s global HR journey: UK → Singapore → Japan
• 15:01 – The future of work: AI, layoffs & new career paths
• 16:26 – HR careers: Going from specialist roles to consultancy
• 19:05 – Why Japan? Opportunities for foreign entrepreneurs
• 23:46 – Starting Elevate: The leap into HR consulting
• 30:19 – Lessons learned: Networking, collaboration & going solo
• 36:41 – Planning culture in Japan vs firefighting in the West
• 41:27 – How coding & technical literacy help HR consultants
• 43:22 – Final advice: Think like an entrepreneur & take action
🌐 Guest Info
👤 Name: Dan Ring
💼 Role: HR Consultant & Founder of Elevate (Creator of The People Protocol)
📍 Location: Based in Tokyo
🔗 Website: https://www.elevate.help/
💼 LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/danpring/
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