Tom Tierney

Tom Tierney co-founded The Bridgespan Group, an independent global nonprofit focused on helping philanthropists and nonprofit leaders achieve breakthrough results. Over two decades, his leadership has nurtured Bridgespan’s growth and innovation. He is a recognized thought leader in philanthropy, having collaborated with a wide range of grantmakers on issues ranging from strategy to organization. His aspiration is to help increase the flow and effectiveness of philanthropy in ways that reduce inequities. He has served on the foundation’s board of trustees since January 2022.

Prior to launching Bridgespan, Tom served as Bain & Company’s worldwide managing partner, where he successfully led the firm through an aggressive phase of innovation and global expansion. A co-author of two highly respected books, Aligning the Stars, and Give Smart: Philanthropy That Gets Results, he has also advised, served on and/or led numerous boards. Most recently he served as chair of The Nature Conservancy, eBay, and Stanford’s Hoover Institution. He is the longstanding chair of the Harvard Business School’s Social Enterprise Initiative and he co-chairs Bridgespan’s board. Tom was the fifth person to hold the class of 1951 Chair for the Study of Leadership at West Point. In 2016, he was the recipient of HBS’s Alumni Achievement Award.

Born in San Francisco, California, Tom received his BA in Economics with highest distinction from the University of California at Davis. Upon graduation, worked as a field engineer for Bechtel in Algeria. In 1980 he earned an MBA with distinction from the Harvard Business School.