Suzanne sailed around the world with her family when she was a child. She is now a business leader and an author
When Suzanne was 7 years old, she set sail from Plymouth, England, on the schooner Wavewalker with her parents and brother. Their trip, which was recreating Captain Cook's third voyage around the world, was supposed to last for three years but ended up taking a decade. Along the way they were shipwrecked in the Indian Ocean and, as she grew older, Suzanne had to fight to gain an education and return home. Her book 'Wavewalker' tells the story of that voyage.
After going to university in the UK, and doing a PhD, Suzanne worked in the UK civil service for several years before joining McKinsey and Company. She is now the COO of Exor, one of the largest holding companies in Europe and Chairs CNHi and Iveco Group.
In addition to 'Wavewalker' Suzanne has also written a biography of her late husband, Jeremy Heywood, who as Cabinet Secretary worked for several different UK Prime Ministers. 'What Does Jeremy Think?' tells that story (and used to be a frequent question in Whitehall).