Denise Carlin is a seasoned Head of People and Operations with extensive experience leading HR, IT, and security teams in startups and emerging technology companies, including crypto and web3 ventures. Since 2018, she has held senior leadership roles advising startup boards, driving people strategy, and advocating for the early integration of people functions to support scalable growth. Denise has led organisations through complex international operations and crisis situations, including COVID-19 remote transitions, geopolitical events impacting employees, and mergers and acquisitions. She combines operational rigor with human-centric leadership, ensuring teams remain resilient and supported through change. A pragmatic adopter of technology, Denise has 18 months’ experience leading AI implementation projects with a problem-first approach, ensuring tools deliver real business value. She also serves on advisory boards for ChangeEngine, Chief, and the University of California, Irvine, contributing her expertise in global employee engagement, leadership enablement, and remote-first workforce strategies.