Margaret Heffernan: A Visionary Leader in Business, Writing, and Thought Leadership
Margaret Heffernan is an entrepreneur, CEO, author, mentor, and keynote speaker whose career has spanned media, technology, education, and leadership development. Born in Texas in 1955 and educated at the University of Cambridge, she has lived and worked across the United States and the United Kingdom, combining practical business leadership with a deep interest in human creativity and resilience. Today she is best known as a Professor of Practice at the University of Bath School of Management, a sought-after international speaker, and the author of several acclaimed books on leadership, innovation, and uncertainty.
This article explores her life, career, and influence, with a focus on her TED talks, her wide-ranging publications, her mentorship roles, and her continued impact on organisational life.
Early Life and Education
Margaret Heffernan was born in Texas in 1955 but spent much of her upbringing in the Netherlands and later in the United Kingdom. She attended the American School in London before studying English and Philosophy at the University of Cambridge, where she graduated with a Master’s degree in 1977. During her time at Cambridge, she served as President of the Marlowe Society and developed a love for writing and performance, foundations that would later support her career as a communicator, producer, and public thinker.
Her education emphasised the humanities, sharpening her ability to analyse, question, and articulate complex issues—skills that became central to her later work in both business and academia.
Career Beginnings at the BBC
Following university, Margaret Heffernan entered broadcasting and spent over a decade at the BBC, where she worked as a producer and executive. She created a variety of history programmes, documentaries, and drama productions, bringing stories to wide audiences. Her work helped launch the careers of leading historians such as Simon Schama, and she was instrumental in commissioning popular shows like MasterChef.
This period honed her organisational skills, her ability to manage creative talent, and her understanding of how stories shape public imagination—all of which became valuable in her business and leadership career.
Leadership in Business
In the 1990s, Margaret Heffernan transitioned from broadcasting into the business world, taking on executive roles in media and technology companies. She served as CEO of several organisations, including iCast, ZineZone Corporation, and InfoMation Corporation.
Her leadership style emphasised innovation, collaboration, and resilience. Over the years, she ran five businesses in the US and UK, most of them media companies. She navigated the challenges of the dot-com era, mergers, and rapid technological shifts, gaining insights into how companies adapt—or fail to adapt—when facing turbulence.
This hands-on experience informed much of her later writing, speaking, and teaching, particularly her emphasis on creativity, adaptability, and trust in leadership.
Writing Career and Major Books
Margaret Heffernan has become a highly regarded author, producing books that challenge conventional wisdom about leadership, competition, and uncertainty.
Key Works
-
The Naked Truth (2004): Examines the challenges women face in business and calls for new approaches to ambition and leadership.
-
How She Does It / Women on Top (2007/2008): Profiles successful female entrepreneurs and analyses their routes to achievement.
-
Wilful Blindness (2011): Explores why individuals and organisations ignore obvious dangers. This book was shortlisted for the Financial Times Best Business Book Award.
-
A Bigger Prize (2014): Critiques excessive competition and argues for cooperation and collaboration in workplaces and societies.
-
Beyond Measure (2015): A TED Book that highlights the small, everyday changes that can create healthier, more resilient organisations.
-
Uncharted: How to Map the Future Together (2020): Published just before the COVID-19 pandemic, it explores how societies can navigate an unpredictable future.
-
Embracing Uncertainty (2025): Her most recent work, focusing on how artists, musicians, and writers flourish in unpredictable conditions, offering insights for organisations facing constant change.
Her books have been praised internationally, with The New York Times describing A Bigger Prize as “an important call to build more collaborative, trustworthy and enduring institutions.”
TED Talks and Global Influence
Margaret Heffernan is widely recognised for her TED talks, which have collectively drawn millions of views worldwide. Each talk highlights her ability to blend storytelling with sharp insights about human behaviour and organisations.
Highlights
-
Dare to Disagree: A call for constructive conflict and debate as engines of progress.
-
The Dangers of Wilful Blindness: An examination of why people ignore the obvious and the risks of collective denial.
-
Forget the Pecking Order at Work (the “Super Chickens” talk): Explains how over-reliance on star performers damages organisations, whereas social capital drives true performance.
-
The Human Skills We Need in an Unpredictable World: A plea to value empathy, creativity, and adaptability over pure efficiency.
These talks have made her a trusted voice in global conversations about leadership and organisational culture.
Academic Role at the University of Bath
Since 2020, Margaret Heffernan has been Professor of Practice at the University of Bath School of Management, where she lectures MBA students and contributes to executive education. She also received an honorary doctorate from Bath in recognition of her contributions to business and leadership studies.
Her academic work bridges theory and practice, bringing decades of entrepreneurial experience to the classroom and mentoring future leaders.
Governance and Mentorship
Beyond teaching, Margaret Heffernan serves in governance and mentoring roles that extend her influence.
DACS
She is currently Chairperson of DACS (Design and Artists Copyright Society), an organisation that protects and promotes the rights of visual artists. Since 2020, she has guided its strategy and ensured fair representation of creative professionals.
Merryck & Co.
As a long-standing mentor at Merryck & Co., she has supported senior and chief executives across industries, helping them navigate leadership challenges and build resilient organisations.
FilmBath
Between 2019 and 2022, she chaired FilmBath, a charity supporting film culture and community engagement in Bath, further reflecting her interest in media and creativity.
Public Speaker and Broadcaster
Margaret Heffernan is also a frequent speaker at conferences around the world, addressing topics such as leadership, resilience, innovation, and uncertainty. She has spoken to audiences across sectors, including healthcare, finance, policing, education, and the arts.
She contributes regularly to BBC Radio, NPR, and has written columns for the Financial Times. Her ability to communicate complex ideas in accessible language has made her one of the most respected voices in leadership thinking.
Distinction from Margaret Heffernan of Dunnes Stores
It is important to distinguish Margaret Heffernan the author and academic from Margaret Heffernan of Dunnes Stores, the Irish businesswoman born in 1942 who was long associated with the famous retail chain. While they share a name and business acumen, they are separate individuals with distinct careers.
Legacy and Continuing Impact
Margaret Heffernan’s career is characterised by versatility, creativity, and a willingness to challenge orthodoxies. Whether through her books, her TED talks, her mentoring at Merryck & Co., her leadership at DACS, or her teaching at the University of Bath, she consistently champions the human side of business and society.
Her message is clear: in an age of uncertainty, organisations must build resilience through collaboration, trust, and human creativity. From her warnings about wilful blindness to her embrace of uncertainty, she provides frameworks for thinking and acting in unpredictable times.
Conclusion
At 70 years old, Margaret Heffernan continues to inspire audiences worldwide. She embodies the principle that leadership is not about rigid control or star power, but about empowering people, fostering collaboration, and embracing uncertainty with creativity and courage.
Her life and work—spanning media, business, academia, and public speaking—make her one of the most influential leadership thinkers of her generation. For students, executives, and policymakers alike, her insights remain a guiding light for building stronger, more humane, and more adaptable organisations.
