Bruce D. Henderson
| Bruce Doolin Henderson | |
|---|---|
 |
|
| President and CEO, The Boston Consulting Group | |
|
In office 1963–1980 |
|
| Preceded by | None - position created |
| Succeeded by | Alan Zakon |
| Chairperson of the board, The Boston Consulting Group | |
|
In office 1980–1985 |
|
| Preceded by | None - position created |
| Succeeded by | Alan Zakon |
| Personal details | |
| Born |
April 30, 1915 Nashville, Tennessee, U.S. |
| Died | July 20, 1992 (aged 77) Nashville, Tennessee, U.S. |
| Spouse(s) | Bess Henderson |
| Children | Asta Werme Ceacy Griffin Bruce Alexander Henderson Bruce Balfour Henderson |
| Alma mater |
Vanderbilt University (BS) Harvard Business School (dropped out) |
| Known for | Founder of The Boston Consulting Group |
Bruce Doolin Henderson (April 30, 1915 – July 20, 1992) was an American entrepreneur, the founder of the Boston Consulting Group (BCG). Henderson founded BCG in 1963 in Boston, Massachusetts. He headed the firm as President and CEO until 1980 and stayed on as Chairman until 1985.
Henderson was born on a farm in Nashville on April 30, 1915.
He entered the Peabody Demonstration School (PDS) in fourth grade, in 1925, where he remained until high school graduation in 1932. He gave good accounts of his time there, stating later that "As a school PDS was almost too good". During high school Henderson played football with the school's team, and on one occasion broke a tooth and permanently damaged two others during a play. Henderson's first date, with Catherine Porter, was also at PDS.
Henderson began his career as a salesman for the Southwestern Company (which his father owned for 50 years). He went on to attend the University of Virginia and later earned an undergraduate degree in mechanical engineering from Vanderbilt University in 1937 before attending Harvard Business School. He left HBS ninety days before graduation to work for the Westinghouse Corporation.
After leaving HBS, Henderson worked 18 years at the Westinghouse Corporation, where he became a vice president at the age of 37, one of the youngest vice presidents in the company's history.
In 1959, Henderson left the Westinghouse Corporation to join consulting firm Arthur D. Little as a senior vice president for management services. He left the firm in 1963 over disagreements with the firm's leadership.
Upon leaving Arthur D. Little, Henderson accepted a challenge from the CEO of The Boston Company to create a consulting arm for the bank, operating as a subsidiary under the name "Management and Consulting Division of the Boston Safe Deposit and Trust Company". This consulting arm started operations in 1963. Initially it advised clients of the bank. The billings for the first month of BCG were only US$500. Nevertheless, Henderson hired his second consultant, Arthur P. Contas in December 1963.
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