Margaret Heffernan
Margaret Heffernan is an entrepreneur, Chief Executive, enthusiastic blogger and author. She was born in Texas, raised in Holland and educated at Cambridge University. She worked in BBC Radio for five years where she wrote, directed, produced and commissioned dozens of documentaries and dramas. As a television producer, she made documentary films for Timewatch, Arena and Newsnight. She was one of the producers of Out of the Doll’s House, the prize-winning documentary series about the history of women in the twentieth century. She designed and executive produced a thirteen part series on the French Revolution for the BBC. The series featured among others, Alan Rickman, Alfred Molina, Janet Suzman, Simon Callow and Jim Broadbent and introduced both historian Simon Schama and playwright Peter Barnes to British television. She also produced music videos with Virgin records and the London Chamber Orchestra to raise attention and funds for Unicef’s Lebanese fund.
Leaving the BBC, she ran the trade association IPPA, which represented the interests of independent film and television producers and was once described by the Financial Times as “the most formidable lobbying organisation in England.”
In 1994, she returned to the USA where she worked on public affair campaigns in Massachusetts and with software companies trying to break into multimedia. She developed interactive multimedia products with Peter Lynch, Tom Peters, Standards and Poors and The Learning Company. She joined CMGI where she ran, bought and sold leading Internet businesses, serving as Chief Executive Officer for information Corporation, ZineZone Corporation and iCAST Corporation. She was named one of the Internet’s Top 100 by Silicon Alley Reporter in 1999, one of the Top 25 by Streaming Media magazine and one of the Top 100 Media Executives by the Hollywood Reporter. Her “Tear down the Wall” campaign against AOL won the 2001 Silver SABRE award for public relations.
In 2004, Margaret published The Naked Truth: A Working Woman’s Manifesto on Business and What Really Matters
She was recently featured on television in The Secret Millionaire and on radio in Changing the Rules. Her new book, Wilful Blindness: Why We Ignore the Obvious at Our Peril
Links: www.mheffernan.com | Linkedin | @M_Heffernan
Posted on May 16, 2012 by Footdown
Come and say hello to Debbie, Sam, Vikram, John and Andy at The Great British Business Show. We are running the SME Boardroom and Stand 968 and we are looking forward to meeting anyone attending the event at London’s ExCel on…More
Filed under: Events, Footdown News, Next Event Posted on May 15, 2012 by Vikram Banerjee
As women increasingly enter leadership roles that traditionally were occupied mainly by men, the possibility that the leadership styles of women and men differ has begun to attract attention. This article is part of a series by Vikram…More
Filed under: Leadership Posted on May 9, 2012 by Cameron Thomson
From Hashtags to retweets … and what we can all learn from the Porn Industry We had a really exciting business mentoring session in Scotland last week. Warren Cass, member of Footdown Cotswold Mentoring Group, came to join us and…More
Filed under: Footdown News, Scotland Fifteen Posted on May 8, 2012 by Vikram Banerjee
While almost half of the UK workforce are women, they make up just 22% of senior management positions. This would indicate the continued existence of a glass ceiling which I referred to in my last article. Recent analysis…More
Filed under: Leadership Posted on May 4, 2012 by Mike Carter
Last week we continued our work with MBA Polymers and their new CEO Nigel Hunton, Bath Fifteen member. Nigel is using the Insight method and approach to help build a new team, gain alignment around the vision and values and identify and…More
Filed under: Footdown News, Insight Posted on May 3, 2012 by Debbie Richardson
I am really excited to announce that we will be part of this year’s Great British Business Show in London. The Great British Business Show is an exhibition designed to provide UK business owners with expert advice…More
Filed under: Footdown News Posted on May 3, 2012 by Miranda de Freston
Whilst scanning through The Economist: “The World in 2012″ it took me till page 66 to find anything remotely related to or mentioning women in business until I found this – ”Women Will Get A Lift to the Top” - interesting…More
Filed under: Leadership Posted on May 2, 2012 by Mike Roe
The “8 Core Beliefs” struck a cord with me. I think they play perfectly to those leaders who recognise that to accelerate performance you need to truly align and engage your people and teams, the core purpose…More
Filed under: Leadership Posted on May 1, 2012 by Vikram Banerjee
Reading Miranda’s fascinating articles regarding the female leaders who are an inspiration to her, has inspired me to pick up my pen (figuratively speaking of course!) and answer an earlier request to write about women. More specifically,…More
Filed under: Leadership Posted on April 30, 2012 by John Snell
During 2011 Thames Valley Police re-organised creating a new force-wide Protecting Vulnerable People Unit and in November of that year appointed a Detective Superintendent as head of the Unit. Prior to this re-organisation some functions, now the responsibility…More
Filed under: Footdown News, Insight Posted on April 26, 2012 by Miranda de Freston
Whilst researching for this week’s article, I had the pleasure of reading Vikram’s upcoming articles on “differences between male and female leadership styles and the notorious ‘glass ceiling’” and it has got me thinking. Why are less…More
Filed under: Leadership Posted on April 26, 2012 by Cameron Thomson
Our Scotland mentoring group celebrated it’s first birthday this month in style with some lovelycake and great discussions. I was joined by group members (L-R) June Walker, Ian Fulton, Austin Flynn, Tracey Stark and Iain Sim. We…More
Filed under: Mentoring Groups, Scotland Fifteen Posted on April 24, 2012 by Vikram Banerjee
This season in the football Premier League, like so many before it, has been full of drama. I’ve already written about Alan Pardew and there’s a huge amount of hype surrounding the remarkable success at Swansea and…More
Filed under: Leadership Posted on April 18, 2012 by Dr Graeme Codrington
Our instinct when faced with almost overwhelming change is to protect ourselves from it. But such protection quickly becomes restriction, and is not the antidote at this time. It is already clear that industries that are resisting…More
Filed under: Leadership Posted on April 18, 2012 by Michael Dodd
Speaking in public has the remarkable power of unsettling some of the toughest people, even chief executives. I’ve been working on presentation skills with a lot of business leaders of late and have been surprised that so…More
Filed under: Leadership Posted on April 18, 2012 by Miranda de Freston
I can remember getting the train into Exeter when I was a teenager for a trip to the Body Shop, it was the in vogue shop at the time, with against animal testing products, refillable containers and what felt like a ethical…More
Filed under: Leadership Posted on April 17, 2012 by Vikram Banerjee
I am a huge football fan and have been from a very young age. For my sins I am an Aston Villa fan and despite the many ups and downs have stuck to them loyally. This time…More
Filed under: Leadership Posted on April 12, 2012 by Miranda de Freston
Throughout my career, so far, I continue to be inspired by the women in my life and in the working world. This week I read an article about newly appointed IBM CEO, Ginny Rometty, this has inspired me…More
Filed under: Leadership Posted on April 12, 2012 by Dr Graeme Codrington
The final of the 5 Trends Disrupting Business In The Next Decade is shifting social values. If the previous four trends are changing the world as I have suggested, then it should not be surprising that people’s values, their dreams…More
Filed under: Leadership Posted on April 11, 2012 by Frank Furness
One of the easiest methods to differentiate your company is to embrace technology and social media. This article is by Footdown Speaker Frank Furness - Frank Furness CSP CFP is a professional speaker specialising in sales and social media. He…More
Filed under: Leadership Posted on April 11, 2012 by Vikram Banerjee
This weekend, along with millions around the world, I stayed up late and enjoyed watching the success of the latest superstar of golf – Bubba Watson. The play-off stretched late into the night, and when we finally…More
Filed under: Leadership Posted on April 4, 2012 by Dr Graeme Codrington
The third of the 5 Trends Disrupting Business In The Next Decade is Environment and Sustainability. You can’t walk past a newsstand these days without a host of magazine covers shouting something “green” at you. And you can’t talk…More
Filed under: Leadership Posted on April 3, 2012 by Vikram Banerjee
I sincerely believe that sport is a great vehicle for teaching many leadership skills. In my role at Footdown I am constantly using the lessons learnt in sport and am lucky to be able draw parallels between…More
Filed under: Leadership Posted on March 30, 2012 by Footdown
We are delighted to announce that Footdown have successfully bid for a significant senior management support project with Wiltshire Police. Footdown will deliver a programme of management development and executive coaching that will add significant value and…More
Filed under: Leadership, School of Coaching Posted on March 29, 2012 by Mark Kilgallon
Dr Mark Kilgallon heads up our School of Coaching and is the leader of our Ascot Mentoring Group, here he shares the leadership books that have most influenced him over the last few years. The Chocolate Wars by Deborah Cadbury - The delicious…More
Filed under: Leadership Posted on March 29, 2012 by Dr Graeme Codrington
The third of the 5 Trends Disrupting Business In The Next Decade is demographics. There are many trends we could consider as we look at the study of changing populations, but the most important ones that will impact…More
Filed under: Leadership Posted on March 27, 2012 by Vikram Banerjee
This week I will be going to Malaysia to attend the wedding of a good friend. As I was planning this trip, I thought that this is a great link to a question that was posed in…More
Filed under: Leadership Posted on March 22, 2012 by Dr Graeme Codrington
The ongoing economic crisis has done much to change the futures and perceptions of many industries. Almost every industry is in the midst of a period of disruptive change where the old rules for success don’t seem…More
Filed under: Leadership Posted on March 20, 2012 by Vikram Banerjee
I was a professional cricketer for six fantastic years and in this time I was taken on a fascinating journey of team spirit, which could have been a textbook example of the benefits of empowerment and communication. When…More
Filed under: Leadership Posted on March 15, 2012 by Roger Martin-Fagg
It’s Spring time – is the warmer weather lifting our spirits? In my January 2012 update I said I would wait for more data before forecasting on the USA Economy. We now have the data and itʼs…More
Filed under: Leadership Posted on March 15, 2012 by Dr Graeme Codrington
As the world slowly emerges out of recession over the next few years, it will become increasingly clear that this was more than just an economic downturn. Disruptive forces are significantly reshaping the world of work. Some…More
Filed under: Leadership Posted on March 13, 2012 by Vikram Banerjee
Following my first blog, What can Sports and Business Leaders learn from each other, a fascinating question was raised regarding mental well-being in the workplace and how effective leadership can affect this, currently a really hot topic around the…More
Filed under: Leadership Posted on March 12, 2012 by Sam Elly
Footdown’s Cohort 5 School of Coaching starts on 21st May 2012 in London. What’s included? The nine-month programme includes: Six days of tutor led learning in great venues with lunch and refreshments All materials and tools, including the…More
Filed under: Cohorts Posted on March 11, 2012 by Sam Elly
Footdown’s Cohort 4 School of Coaching starts on 30th May 2012. What’s included? The nine-month programme includes: Six days of tutor led learning in great venues with lunch and refreshments All materials and tools, including the use…More
Filed under: Cohorts Posted on March 8, 2012 by Footdown
Tom Stayt has been a personal trainer in Bath for the last two years. Prior to qualifying, Tom played professional cricket for Gloucestershire County Cricket Club alongside Footdown’s Insight Delivery Manager Vikram Banerjee. When the going gets tough…More
Filed under: Bath, Leadership Posted on March 7, 2012 by Dr Graeme Codrington
The recession of the past few years has been more than simply an economic downturn. Important trends that were vaguely evident before 2008 have been accelerated, and now threaten to change the world of work forever. You…More
Filed under: Leadership Posted on March 6, 2012 by Vikram Banerjee
How do you as a leader stay at the top? This article follows on from my previous article about dealing with change, and looks at how a leader can ensure his or her team can continue to…More
Filed under: Leadership Posted on March 6, 2012 by Footdown
On the 23rd February, alumni from our first school of coaching cohorts gathered at Ston Easton Park for an enhanced learning session. The group shared accounts of the use of their coaching skills in practice, looked at…More
Filed under: Footdown News, School of Coaching Posted on March 1, 2012 by Mark Kilgallon
Dr Mark Kilgallon, leader of the Ascot Mentoring Group, reviews Sticky Wisdom by the ?What If! Company. Sticky Wisdom is a short easy to read book that centres on encouraging creative thinking within yourself and the workplace…More
Filed under: Leadership Posted on February 28, 2012 by Vikram Banerjee
For the very best leaders, making it to the top is the result of careful planning, dedication and setting and hitting hundreds and thousands of small goals within the 10,000 hours. And if it’s hard reaching the…More
Filed under: Leadership Posted on February 24, 2012 by Footdown
“I could have written a whole new book just based on some of the spectacular examples we’ve seen of wilful blindness since the book came out last February…” Margaret Heffernan Footdown Speaker Phone hacking - MP Adrian Saunders asked…More
Filed under: Leadership, Speakers Posted on February 23, 2012 by John Potter
‘Our people are our greatest assets’. Many leaders say this and act on it some of the time when things are going well. Others say it but don’t behave in a way that supports it. A few…More
Filed under: Insight, Leadership Posted on February 21, 2012 by Cameron Thomson
Footdown’s Scotland Mentoring Group and their guests will benefit from an evening in the company of their Patron (and fellow Footdown members) James “Midge” Ure OBE, on May 23rd 2012 in Edinburgh. Taking time out from touring and…More
Filed under: Footdown News, Scotland Fifteen Posted on February 21, 2012 by Cameron Thomson
Scotland Fifteen Group Leader Cameron Thomson is delighted to announce the latest addition to the Scotland Fifteen Group. Nick Lyth is Director of The International Resources and Recycling Institute based in Edinburgh, Nick brings a wealth of industry…More
Filed under: Footdown News, Scotland Fifteen Posted on February 21, 2012 by Footdown
Nick Lyth is a Scotland Fifteen Member, find out more about Nick: Nick Lyth is Managing Director of International Resources and Recycling Institute, and has been responsible for its development and growth. He has been on the Board of IRRI since…More
Filed under: Member Profile, Scotland Fifteen Posted on February 21, 2012 by Vikram Banerjee
Elite players don’t just seem to have superior skills and fitness than us mere mortals, but they also seem to have more time than us when for example, facing Steve Finn bowling at over 90mph. However what they…More
Filed under: Leadership Posted on February 15, 2012 by Andrew Mercer
What two or three things should you be doing right now to help the organisation you lead to maximise its chances of success in these troubled times? Article by Andrew Mercer, Footdown founder. It took me many years…More
Filed under: Leadership Posted on February 14, 2012 by Vikram Banerjee
I apologise for interrupting my planned series but it would be amiss of me to be writing about what business leaders can learn from sports and to ignore the huge media circus regarding the England Football team with Fabio Capello…More
Filed under: Leadership Posted on February 8, 2012 by Footdown
Roger Harrop, Footdown Speaker is “The CEO Expert”, ranked in the top 10 Management & Strategy Speakers Worldwide and a sought after international business growth expert, here he talks on how different companies strive for success. The…More
Filed under: Leadership, Speakers Posted on February 7, 2012 by Cameron Thomson
With the first anniversary of The Scotland Mentoring Group approaching, Group Leader Cameron Thomson sought out the answers to some questions that he felt were key in understanding why members engage with Footdown.
Filed under: Footdown News, Scotland Fifteen