Craig Hickman is a New York Times bestselling author, global leadership authority, and former CEO whose five-decade career has shaped the way organizations think about accountability, strategy, culture, and leadership. Guided by his personal mission—getting accountability and culture right—he has spent his life helping leaders, institutions, and entire industries transform how they operate and how they inspire their people. His work blends rigorous strategy, human-centered insight, and a deep belief in the power of principled leadership to change the trajectory of companies and communities alike.

From his earliest years, Craig demonstrated an uncommon mix of intellectual curiosity and leadership instinct. After earning a BA in Economics and English from Brigham Young University, where he graduated cum laude and served as Summer Student Body President, he pursued an MBA at Harvard Business School, completing the program with honors. This academic foundation prepared him for a career at the intersection of business analysis, strategic innovation, organizational behavior, and effective leadership—domains he would ultimately redefine throughout his professional life.

Craig began his career at Dart Industries, where he served as a Strategy Analyst and was quickly recognized for his ability to identify patterns, clarify complexity, and propose solutions grounded in both analytical rigor and human insight. His growing reputation brought him to Arthur Young (now Ernst & Young), where he led the Strategic Management practice for the Western United States. During this period, he worked closely with major corporations, healthcare organizations, and government entities, sharpening his understanding of how strategy, culture, and leadership dynamics drive results—or undermine them.

With an entrepreneurial spirit and a desire to help organizations more holistically, Craig founded Management Perspectives Group, a consulting firm built on the principles he was simultaneously shaping through his writing. For more than a decade, he guided global clients through cultural transformation, strategic renewal, culture change, and leadership development efforts. His workshops and advisory engagements took him around the world, from the United States to Europe, Asia, the Middle East, and Africa. His insights were sought by Fortune 500 companies, government agencies, and high-growth organizations alike, cementing his reputation as a trusted advisor capable of elevating both leaders and systems.

Craig’s influence expanded dramatically through his prolific writing career. Author of nineteen books—including The Oz Principle, Creating Excellence, Mind of a Manager, Soul of a Leader, The Strategy Game, and Propeller—he became one of the most recognized voices in organizational accountability, corporate culture, and leadership. His works have been translated into multiple languages and have shaped leadership practices globally. His innovative blend of narrative, research, and actionable frameworks has made his books staples in boardrooms, classrooms, and leadership programs around the world.

His strategic leadership reached a new height when he became President and CEO of Headwaters Technology Innovation, a subsidiary of Headwaters Incorporated (NYSE: HW). Under Craig’s direction, he revitalized the organization from a dormant asset into a thriving technology company by forging partnerships with Germany’s Degussa AG (now Evonik), France’s Axens SA, and China’s Shenhua Group Corporation. Together, they commercialized groundbreaking nanotechnologies that redefined segments of the oil and chemical industries. More importantly, he embedded a culture of innovation and disciplined execution—an enduring hallmark of his leadership philosophy.

Craig later joined Partners In Leadership, now known as Culture Partners, where he served for twelve years in roles including Business Unit President, Senior Partner, Futurist, and SVP of New Product Development. His work centered on helping organizations embed accountability into their cultures, enabling them to achieve transformation that was measurable, sustainable, and strategic. He became one of the world’s most influential practitioners of culture change, bringing together decades of advisory experience with a visionary perspective on the future of work.

Parallel to his consulting and executive roles, Craig has also built a distinguished career as a novelist, using fiction as a lens to explore human motivation, power, and the hidden dynamics of leadership. His award-winning thriller series, including The Insiders, Concealed Measures, Collapse of the Secret Dominion, and its forthcoming continuation, blends suspense with organizational insight, reflecting his belief that truth is sometimes best illuminated through storytelling.

Across his global career, Craig has addressed audiences of all sizes—from intimate executive teams to thousands in conference halls—across more than 30 countries. His keynote clients include Procter & Gamble, American Express, AT&T, Apple, Sysco, Microsoft, Frito-Lay, Walgreens, Lockheed-Martin, Unilever, Sony, PepsiCo, Fiserv, Halliburton, Marathon, British Petroleum, Caterpillar, Ford Motor Company, Kohler, Astellas, True Value, Whirlpool, and leading government agencies as well as both large and small universities. His work has been featured by major media outlets including The New York Times, Business Week, Forbes, USA Today, and U.S. News & World Report. These appearances underscore both the breadth of his expertise and the trust placed in his perspective by industries around the world.

Today, Craig splits his time between the East and West Coasts, Europe, and Latin America, continuing his writing while advising leaders who aspire to drive transformational change. His life’s work is rooted in the belief that organizational excellence begins with personal accountability and that culture is the ultimate strategic differentiator. He remains committed to empowering leaders to see differently, act boldly, and build institutions where people and performance thrive in equal measure.

At his core, Craig is driven by a passion for learning, a curiosity about human potential, and a desire to help leaders achieve meaningful, lasting results. Whether writing, consulting, or speaking, he embodies the principles he has taught for decades: clarity, ownership, innovation, and integrity. His personal interests—writing, painting, and exploring the world’s diverse cultures—mirror his professional ethos: creativity paired with disciplined thought, and vision paired with execution.

Character:
Craig demonstrates unwavering professional integrity, consistently grounding his leadership philosophy in the principles of accountability, transparency, and ethical stewardship. He approaches every engagement with humility and respect for the people and systems he seeks to elevate. His work reflects a lifelong commitment to advancing organizations through values-driven leadership.

Knowledge:
With fifty years of experience, Craig possesses a rare depth of insight into strategy, culture, leadership, and human behavior. His academic achievements and extensive global advisory work have equipped him with a robust understanding of how companies operate and evolve. His intellectual curiosity fuels his ability to distill complex ideas into practical, transformative solutions.

Strategic:
Craig’s career is defined by his ability to foresee trends, identify high-impact opportunities, and drive organizations toward meaningful outcomes. He understands the interplay between culture and strategy and helps leaders align these forces to achieve sustained performance. His strategic foresight enables him to guide organizations through uncertainty, innovation, and change with confidence.

Communication:
Communicating with clarity, empathy, and compelling narrative strength, whether through writing, keynote speaking, coaching, or consulting. His books and presentations resonate because they connect analytical insight with human experience. His storytelling ability allows him to inspire action, strengthen leadership alignment, and foster a shared sense of purpose for achieving the desired results.