An Evening with Tangy Morgan — Lessons on Fearless Leadership and Authenticity
An Evening with Tangy Morgan — Lessons on Fearless Leadership and Authenticity
On courage, focus, and learning to see ourselves through others’ eyes.
Yesterday evening at Goodenough College, I had the chance to attend a Port Talk with Tangy C. Morgan, organised as part of the Black History Month celebrations. It turned out to be one of those rare evenings that stay with you long after the applause fades. Tangy is one of those people whose presence fills the room before she even begins to speak. She’s warm, confident, and grounded — qualities that make you listen not just to her words, but to the calm conviction behind them. Her story is remarkable. Tangy began her professional journey in the petroleum industry, before making several bold pivots — across industries, countries, and leadership roles. Today, she is recognised among the 100 most influential Black people in the UK, serves as Senior Advisor at the Bank of England’s Prudential Regulation Authority, and was awarded the Freedom of the City of London (2024). Her essay in Black and Great is widely read and deeply personal — much like the conversation she led that evening.
“Those are distractions. Focus on your capabilities.”
— Tangy Morgan
What struck me most wasn’t her impressive résumé, but the fearless authenticity with which she spoke about her journey — the moments of doubt, the transitions, the courage to keep moving forward. When asked how she manages bias or opposition, her answer was simple, powerful, and instantly memorable:
“Those are distractions. Focus on your capabilities.”
It reframed resilience not as defiance, but as focus — a quiet, disciplined insistence on excellence. She also spoke about how sometimes others can see value and potential in you before you see it in yourself. When you’re deep in your career path, it’s easy to overlook the choices that are opening up around you. In a world full of opportunities, she reminded us, it’s equally important to observe how others perceive your strengths — because that reflection can often reveal the next direction you hadn’t yet considered. Tangy also shared the difference between networking and building relationships.
“Networking,” she said, “is often about transactions. Relationships are about genuine curiosity and connection.”
It was a reminder that in leadership — and in life — people remember how you make them feel, not how well you position yourself. Listening to her, I couldn’t help but think about how often we allow noise to cloud our sense of purpose. Tangy’s journey — spanning petroleum, insurance, reinsurance, and financial regulation — is living proof that careers don’t have to be linear to be meaningful. What matters is the integrity and self-belief we carry through those transitions. I left that evening inspired — not just by what she has achieved, but by how she has done it. With grace. With courage. And with a deep belief in the value of her work and relationships. Meeting her, even briefly, was a privilege. Her words will stay with me — a reminder to keep choosing focus over distraction, purpose over noise, and authenticity over performance. In a world chasing visibility, Tangy’s story is a call to rediscover value — in focus, relationships, and the courage to grow purposefully.