Dr. Kirstin Ferguson, PhD Keynote Speaker

Bestselling Author, Head & Heart: The Art of Modern Leadership
Ranked in the Thinkers50 Top 50 Management Thinkers in the World
Award-winning Leadership Researcher, PhD, Columnist & Keynote Speaker

Dr. Kirstin Ferguson, PhD's Biography

Dr Kirstin Ferguson AM is a globally recognized leadership expert, ranked by Thinkers50 as one of the top 50 management thinkers in the world and recipient of the Thinkers50 Distinguished Leadership Award. With a career that began as an officer in the Royal Australian Air Force, Kirstin has gone on to become a CEO, board director, and acting chair and deputy chair of the Australian Broadcasting
Corporation.

Kirstin brings decades of leadership experience across a variety of sectors—public, private, military, and media—combined with deep academic expertise including a PhD in leadership and culture. Kirstin is the author of three acclaimed books, including Blindspotting (2025), Head & Heart (2023), and Women Kind (2018), which have influenced leaders around the world.

A weekly columnist for the Sydney Morning Herald and The Age, Kirstin has built a loyal following for her practical wisdom on work, leadership, and life. She’s also an adjunct professor at QUT Business School and a sought-after keynote speaker who has opened conferences across five continents

Leading with Impact: Unlocking the Power of Blindspotting

In this highly interactive keynote using videos, case studies and story telling, attendees will have the opportunity to shine a light on the hidden gaps in their thinking and decision-making that can have profound consequences, not just for themselves but for the teams and organisations they lead.

Leading with Impact: Mastering the Art of Modern Leadership

In this highly interactive keynote, Kirstin engages her audiences through storytelling, videos and practical examples to help make her own leadership experiences and her research relevant for all audiences.

Head & Heart: The Art of Modern Leadership

In this engaging workshop, which allows plenty of time for audience participation and reflection, Kirstin will cover all the material in the Head & Heart keynote but have time to cover the concepts in more detail and allow time for attendees to discuss, question and reflect on their own leadership experiences.

Dr Kirstin Ferguson - Award-winning leadership expert, bestselling author and keynote speaker

Kirstin Ferguson: Thinkers50 Leadership Award | Thinkers50 Awards Gala 2023

Leadership lessons from The Bear

ABC News Breakfast 2023

Dr Kirstin Ferguson - short clip of Head & Heart keynote

Articles, Media & Podcasts

Head & Heart: The Art of Modern Leadership

Pragmatism in Practice Podcast

Maximizing Your Impact by Leading with both Head and Heart with Dr. Kirstin Ferguson

How to Be Awesome at Your Job Podcast

Head & Heart Leadership: Strategies for Safety Leadership and Governance with Dr Kirstin Ferguson

The Safety Guru

Head And Heart: Navigating The Dichotomy Of Modern Leadership

Forbes

Here’s how leaders can give actually helpful feedback, step-by-step

Fast Company

How Einstein illuminates the art of modern leadership

Big Think

Books by Dr. Kirstin Ferguson, PhD

Blindspotting: How to See What Others Miss

Head & Heart: The Art of Modern Leadership

Women Kind: Unlocking the Power of Women Supporting Women

Comments & Testimonials

Kirstin was absolutely wonderful - we loved working with her. She was so well received by the audience. Her passion came through so clearly and really resonated with people. We couldn't be happier.

Angela Kardamitsis Senior Marketing Manager, Thoughtworks

Everyone absolutely loved Kirstin’s session and received enormous value from her insights – and our thanks to Kirstin for joining us at dinner and remaining at the end of the session for all our Groupie discussions with her!

Anna Mariani General Manager. Property Profile Group

Thank you for the depth, wisdom, and authenticity you brought to the room though your story telling Kirstin.

Ingrid Freeman 2022 PDN School Leaders’ Conference

Really fabulous session last week, you provided practical and relevant considerations for the new world of work we are all adapting too. It has been a long time coming and one of the few “highlights” of this last two crazy years, particularly for us Victorians!

Deanna Lomas Chief Integrated Supply Chain Officer, NHP Electrical Engineering Products

Thanks for doing a spectacular job as MC for the lunch.

Layne Beachley Founder, Aim for the Stars Foundation

I never got the opportunity to talk with you at the conference but I want to say well done on delivering a very straight forward, well articulated and thought provoking presentation.

IOSH Conference, London