News imageThe Bottom Line, The Bottom Line, The Decisions That Made Me: Margaret Heffernan

The Bottom Line

The Bottom Line

The Decisions That Made Me: Margaret Heffernan

25 December 2025

16 minutes

Available for over a year

Margaret Heffernan didn’t start out in business. Until her mid-30s, she was enjoying a successful career at the BBC, producing and directing TV dramas and documentaries. But she was always curious about a career in the corporate world. She decided to take the plunge and took on roles in the US. It was as CEO of a tech firm when Margaret discovered she was being paid 50% less than her male counterparts that she faced one of her biggest decisions. As she explains to Evan Davis, should she speak out and risk the consequences or put up and shut up?

(Image: Margaret Heffernan. Credit: mheffernan.com)