Kathleen O'Connor

A globally recognised expert in leadership and collaboration, Professor O’Connor helps managers and senior executives transform how they lead and manage for more innovative, productive, and happy organisations. As both a professor and the Director of Executive Education at London Business School, she brings more than 20 years of experience working with C-suite leaders and senior teams worldwide. Her award-winning research explores how high-performing leaders build smarter networks, create inclusive cultures, and drive breakthrough results through collaboration. Her insights into negotiation, influence, and decision-making have earned honours from esteemed scientific bodies, including the Academy of Management and the International Association for Conflict Management. Dr. O’Connor is a frequent advisor to Fortune 500 firms and a favourite among Executive MBA and global executive audiences, having earned prizes for her MBA teaching.

Professor O'Connor received a B.S. from Cornell University, and an A.M. and Ph.D. in social and organisational psychology from the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign. She has held faculty and visiting faculty appointments at Rice University and the Kellogg Graduate School of Management at Northwestern University. Her research has been honoured by awards from leading academic organisations, including the Academy of Management and the International Association for Conflict Management, and has been cited in news outlets including the Financial Times, Associated Press, and The Wall Street Journal.