Brian J. Robertson

Brian J. Robertson is an American entrepreneur, organizational innovator, and author best known as the developer of Holacracy, a revolutionary self-management system for governing organizations. After founding and running software company Ternary Software, Robertson sought to eliminate traditional corporate hierarchy and bureaucratic inertia in favor of agile, decentralized governance.

In 2007, Robertson co-founded HolacracyOne to formalize and distribute the Holacracy methodology, which replaces traditional boss-subordinate structures with autonomous roles, clear circle governance, and dynamic tactical meetings.

His landmark 2015 book, Holacracy: The New Management System for a Rapidly Changing World, introduced self-organization to companies worldwide, including Zappos and Medium. Robertson’s work remains a cornerstone of modern organizational design, pushing businesses toward greater agility, transparency, and distributed authority.