Pivot Points podcast
The unmeasurable metric: leading through a regeneration with the Lost Gardens of Heligan’s CEO, David Harland
Episode 46
Episode overview
David Harland, CEO of The Lost Gardens of Heligan and former leader at the Eden Project, joins Dave Allen to trace the pivotal decisions that took him from finance to place-based leadership. Together they unpack turnaround tactics, the tension between purpose and profit, and how cultural regeneration can spark lasting economic and social change.
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You can take something that is poisonous, sterile, derelict at the end of its useful life, and you can breathe new life into it. That is a story of redemption and hope.
David Harland CEO, The Lost Gardens of Heligan
The Lost Gardens of Heligan are beloved by so many, from those who visit to the staff who uphold it.
So what happens when a new CEO swoops in to enact change on a place steeped in such history?
David Harland’s background includes stepping into the CEO role at Eden Project, working alongside the indomitable Sir Tim Smit.
He’s no stranger to the art of bringing together a sound financial background with ambitious, vision-driven scaling.
So, if you’re looking to root your next growth phase in unshakeable principles, or balancing fiscal realities against a visionary mission, David’s story is proof that your most valuable metric might be one that you can’t measure on a P&L.
The thing that probably gives me the most pleasure in a work context is seeing a young man or a young woman five years later going into management.
David Harland CEO, The Lost Gardens of Heligan
You will learn:
- How David pivoted from finance and “jobs for life” into leading place-based organizations like the Eden Project and The Lost Gardens of Heligan.
- What it really takes to turn around a much-loved, but financially fragile institution without breaking the trust of staff and visitors.
- Why reframing Eden as a replicable business plan unlocked global opportunities.
- How mentoring, apprenticeships, and programs like A Band of Brothers shape David’s approach to leadership and social impact.
You can only do that if you can take people with you. I’m certainly not someone that wants to do things at any cost.
David Harland CEO, The Lost Gardens of Heligan
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