Damian Salter: The Common-Sense Soundboard Helping sherloc Stay True to Its Purpose

When Damian describes his superpower at sherloc, he doesn’t reach for buzzwords or business jargon. “I am sherloc,” he says with a grin, half-joking, half-deadly serious. 

Damian’s role at sherloc is quietly transformative. He brings a clarity that cuts through the noise. Whether it’s a new feature or a strategic pivot, he’s the one asking: Is this simple? Is it intuitive? Does it deliver on the integrity we promise?

“It’s a complicated thing we’re doing, but I keep us grounded. I’m the acid test - 

if something doesn’t make sense to me, it probably won’t land well with our clients either.”

Integrity, Empathy, Inquisitiveness

That clarity is rooted in experience. Damian grew up in the North of the UK, raised by his father in a house where the toilet was out in the backyard. “There’s a resilience that comes with that,” he reflects. “But more importantly, there’s a drive - to build something better not just for yourself, but for others like you.”

That’s why sherloc felt like the right fit. 

“Figure out what you’re good at, and what you love. Where those two things intersect - that’s where good things happen.”

“SMEs are the heartbeat of local communities,Giving them tools to thrive isn’t just good business - it’s the right thing to do.”

On Change, Courage, and Quiet Resistance

If Damian could change one thing in the world, it would be the tendency to wilfully misunderstand each other. “So much harm - bigotry, violence, fear - it comes from not even trying to understand 

where someone else is coming from.”That desire for deeper connection runs through many of his answers. If he could gain any skill instantly? “I’d be infinitely multilingual. It would let me engage with people fully, in their own terms.”

As for fictional alter-egos, Damian identifies with Danny, the Champion of the World. 

“A bit of adventure, a healthy disregard for unnecessary rules, and always a working-class kid at heart. The book came out the year I was born - must be about me.”

When he speaks about mentors, he tells the story of a teacher who helped him find confidence at a pivotal time. Growing up gay under Section 28 - when teachers were forbidden from even acknowledging homosexuality - wasn’t easy. 

And then there’s Nelson Mandela. Damian lived in South Africa after apartheid and saw, up close, how a country rebuilt itself - with courage, hope, and a brand-new constitution that, thanks  in part to Canadian support, was one of the first in the world to enshrine LGBTQ+ rights. 

“That teacher made space for us anyway. Quiet resistance. It meant everything.”

“Mandela’s story reminds me that change happens both through quiet persistence and bold vision.”

A Few More Things You Should Know

Most-listened song (ever): “Enjoy the Silence”

What he brings to sherloc: Radical simplicity, a healthy dose of common sense, and a deep belief in doing right by people.