Daniel Frank Sanchez works as Integrated Marketing Lead at Saab, having previously served at the Swedish Armed Forces (Försvarsmakten) as a communications officer. In an interview with Nordic Defence Sector, he talks about his background, his new role, and the key issues on his agenda going forward.
What is your background?
I have a background as a communications professional and digital designer, with experience both as a freelancer and from the defence and security industry. Most recently, I came from the Swedish Armed Forces (Försvarsmakten), where I worked as a communications officer.
You also have a background as an employee within the Swedish Armed Forces — can you tell us more about that experience?
When I enlisted, I was given the role of section commander, and later I worked as a platoon commander for a signals platoon. That gave me a strong foundation in leading, planning, and carrying out work in a structured manner. Since I worked with signals and command systems, you could say I was already working with communications at that point — just from a technical perspective. My military background has shaped my ability to structure ideas, plan execution, and work efficiently, something I still benefit greatly from today.
What experiences do you bring with you from that time?
One important insight I take with me from the Swedish Armed Forces is the concept of military strategic communication. Communication is not merely about informing — it can also be a strategic act in itself. Signalling capability, direction, or strength through communicative activities can, in certain cases, contribute to defence and influence. It is also a clear example of how communication is sometimes underestimated, despite the fact that it can play a decisive role in broader strategic contexts.
How did you come to work with marketing and branding within the defence sector?
I entered the defence sector during a period when questions around brand, communications, and recruitment were becoming increasingly central. It was an area that quickly captured my interest, as I am driven by working both creatively and strategically. There is a clear connection here between communication and societal benefit.
What is important to consider when working with visual communication within the defence sector?
Government agencies and companies within the defence sector communicate in partly different ways and have different tools and expectations to navigate. The industry has historically been characterised by caution, and digital development has not always progressed as quickly as in other sectors. However, there is now a clear shift towards more engaging visual and moving-image communication. In today's digital landscape, the quality of visual expression is crucial, as it reflects credibility, professionalism, and brand identity. Understanding target audiences, platforms, and how content is perceived is therefore critically important.
Working in the defence industry today means operating at a high pace. The demand for information and public interest has increased markedly, placing greater demands on how we communicate — both within government agencies and in the private sector. This requires teams to develop, work in more modern ways, and broaden their competencies to create redundancy and support one another.
What drew you to your current role at Saab?
After a few years in the Swedish Armed Forces, I felt I wanted to take the next step and work more strategically. Following advanced studies in creative leadership, I moved on to Saab.
During my studies, I trained towards a role as Design Lead, with a focus on leading creative teams and driving work from research and analysis through to concept development and execution. By combining creative leadership with my military leadership background, I now have a solid foundation in how to structure, lead, and develop both ideas and teams in practice.
What does your new role involve? And do you have a favourite campaign you would like to highlight?
Today I work as Integrated Marketing Lead, where my team and I work to further develop a more human, clear, and cohesive expression — one that reflects both our technical strength and our social responsibility.
My favourite campaign right now is my first and most recent campaign for Saab, with the message Keeping people and society safe. Here we further developed the communications to more clearly demonstrate the value of the products in a broader context, while also testing new ideas and approaches.
Nordic Defence Sector (NDS) has previously interviewed, among others, Tobias Billström and Karin Swanson in this series. If you know someone who would be a good fit for this interview series, or feel that you yourself are a suitable candidate, NDS can be reached at news@nordicdefencesector.com — please mark the email "New on the Job".