MEET OUR PROFESSIONAL MEMBER
Heather Hansen
Heather helps top global professionals show up, speak up, and inspire action in a changing world. She is on a mission to unmute leaders and teams so they can be more innovative, inclusive and efficient while adapting to modern challenges.
Originally from the United States, Heather moved abroad in 2002. She has been based in Singapore since 2006 with a 4-year break in Denmark. Her work has taken her to 16 countries on four continents, and her clients come from every corner of the world. She was an early adopter of online technology and has been coaching and training her global clients online since 2012. She published her first fully-online course, the Pronunciation Mastery Program in 2013.
Heather is a leader in the field of global English communication where she is known for being an outspoken advocate for global voices. She fights against micro-inequities related to language and accent in international teams, and helps companies build UNMUTED communication cultures where every voice is heard. Her 2018 TEDx talk titled “2 Billion Voices: How to speak bad English perfectly” has had over 100,000 views and is used by many university professors and English language specialists in their own teachings. Heather is also an External Industry Expert in Communication for National University of Singapore (NUS) Business School’s Executive Education programs.
Heather’s views on global communication have been featured in national media outlets across the globe: National Public Radio (NPR) in the USA, ABC Radio National in Australia, and multiple print and radio outlets in Singapore, including The Straits Times and CNA 938 (93.8 FM). She often appears on global podcasts and webinars.
Heather is author of the book, Powerful People Skills and has contributed to three other books published by Marshall Cavendish International. Her next book, Unmuted, which outlines her framework for successful global communication in multinational companies, will be published in March 2022 by Bloomsbury Business (UK).
Latest Articles
5 Reasons Bad English is Good for Global Business
Published on 07/22/2021 under Communication /Voice
The former CEO of Volvo once said in an interview with our APSS President, Fredrik Härén, that they liked to joke within the company that their official corporate language was “Bad English”. Anyone who works in an international environment is familiar with this language. It’s a funny mix of grammatical errors, mispronunciations, and made-up words that, […]
5 Reasons Bad English is Good for Global Business (Heather Hansen)
Published on 09/18/2018 under Communication /Voice, Culture
The former CEO of Volvo once said in an interview with our APSS President, Fredrik Härén, that they liked to joke within the company that their official corporate language was “Bad English”. Anyone who works in an international environment is familiar with this language. It’s a funny mix of grammatical errors, mispronunciations, and made-up words that, […]