Dave Ridley

Dave Ridley spent nearly thirty years working in the upper echelons of Southwest Airlines. During that time his roles included Senior Vice President Chief Marketing Officer, SVP People and Leadership Development, SVP Business Development, and Vice President of Ground Operations. He also spent 17 years serving on the Executive Committee, responsible for the airline’s strategic and corporate direction. It was during his time with the company that they grew to become the largest domestic airline in the United States, quadrupling their number of destinations and increasing their revenue from $700 million to over $20 billion. The company also built a reputation to match its figures, regularly being cited as one of Fortune’s Most Admired Companies in the World.

Since retiring from Southwest in 2015, Ridley has built an excellent reputation of his as an international keynote speaker. Delivering inspirational speeches to companies and brands across the world, he shares his experiences of what it takes to grow and sustain a world-renowned, field-leading brand with a focus on incredible service, a strong vision and impeccable corporate culture. Clients who have heard and embraced his vision include influential names such as Microsoft, Nissan, Airbnb, Lloyd’s Bank, and RBS. The CEO of Nissan rated Ridley as the best keynote speaker he’d ever heard.

A proud Texan, Ridley began his flight to the top at the University of Texas, where studied Business. He achieved his MBA from the Southern Methodist University in Dallas. It was in Dallas that he first cut his corporate teeth, working in marketing and business development, before joining the Southwest family in 1988.