Danie Beukman is a strategic operator and former diplomat with nearly two decades of experience in government, business, and global institutions. His practice has helped organisations build influence,
navigate complexity, and deliver under pressure.
He’s advised Fortune 500 companies, venture-backed founders, and public agencies. Most recently,
Danie was COO and Chief of Staff at a venture-backed decentralised rideshare company, where he
led national operations, regulatory matters, product launches, and fundraising through to wind-down.
He has acted as COO, Chief of Staff and strategic advisor to a number of companies, advising on
operational efficiency, systems design, partnership negotiations, cross-border market entry and go-to-
market strategy, as well as managing board engagement and investor relations.
He served as Head of Global Government Relations at Cruise, a General Motors company, where he
built the company’s international policy strategy for autonomous vehicles and represented the firm at
the UN, OECD, APEC, and WEF. He’s also worked at Crowell & Moring LLP in Washington, DC,
advising global companies across a range of industries on trade policy, regulatory risk, and
international government engagement.
Earlier in his career, Danie was a New Zealand diplomat and trade negotiator, with postings in the
United States and South Africa. He led investment negotiations for the ASEAN–Australia–New
Zealand Free Trade Agreement, participated in WTO sustainable development talks, and helped
secure the landmark China–New Zealand Free Trade Agreement. He led an election monitoring
delegation to the Solomon Islands, chaired a multi-agency defence intelligence committee, and
advised on New Zealand’s troop commitment to a regional peace support mission. In Washington,
DC, Danie built United States government support for a fossil fuel subsidy reform programme, and led
lobbying efforts that led to legislation to improve visa access for New Zealand investors and
entrepreneurs. As Deputy Chief of Mission in South Africa, he managed political and commercial
relationships across 13 African nations during New Zealand’s term on the UN Security Council, and
negotiated directly with foreign government ministers to unblock trade barriers for New Zealand
business.
Today, Danie advises founders on systems architecture, disruptive tech governance, and public–
private strategy. He has spoken globally on innovation policy, contributed to WEF initiatives, and
continues to work with founders and family offices as a fractional COO and systems builder.
He lives in Los Angeles with his wife and daughter.