Emma Heal is a consumer goods superstar. She's worked in the industry for over 25 years. In that time, she's scaled brands from anonymous start-ups to household names, with Innocent Smoothies and Graze to name a few.
She's now Managing Director at Lucky Saint, the UK's favourite alcohol-free beer brand, which is now available on campus at the SU. We met with her to chat about her time at Bath and her impressive journey to where she is now – including winning a Prince’s Trust Award.
Why did you choose to study Business Administration at Bath?
I’m a novelty junkie. I loved the variety of both living on campus and in such a gorgeous city. I also had two six-month industrial placements and the opportunity to study abroad.
My placements were fantastic, firstly working as an account manager for the advertising firm Ogilvy & Mather in Canary Wharf and then in operational finance for British Airways across Europe, Africa and North America.
In my final year, I spent six months studying at the Copenhagen Business School in Denmark. All of these opportunities were massively appealing.
Did you have a particular career in mind when you chose your course?
Simply ‘business’, with zero clue of what area! When I was young, I would marvel at my dad leaving the house in a suit, shiny shoes and a briefcase, knowing he loved learning, doing great work with a great team and having fun. That kind of energy was infectious, so I’ve sought out and generated experiences that would provide the same stimulation.
Can you tell us about your experience of studying here? Any favourite memories, or places to go on campus and in the city?
Ha! My friends Kath, Vicki and I went to 9am lectures in the first year in our pyjamas, clutching mugs of tea... but at least we made it!
I remember being very grateful that my parents bought me tokens to get some hot meals on the parade occasionally.
I also vividly remember a friend called Mike showing me Google for the very first time on a huge PC in the School of Management; no one had laptops back then. He said it was going to change the world – he was right!
You’ve had an incredibly varied career since leaving Bath. Describe your career journey since graduating.
I’ve worked in consumer goods for 25 years across Europe and Africa, in the global blue-chips of Tesco and Diageo and grown fledgling brands into household names, like Innocent Smoothies and Graze.
It’s the gritty, challenging world of scaling start-ups that I really love and the reason I joined Lucky Saint in February 2020 as Managing Director.
What is a typical day like as Managing Director at Lucky Saint?
Happily, there’s never a typical day, but in any given week, I’ll be out in trade with the team, either walking supermarket aisles or meeting pub and restaurant owners, attending board meetings or speaking on panels. 
It’s a pleasure to welcome customers to our pub, The Lucky Saint in Marylebone, London, to taste our four alcohol-free beers. Our office is right above, so I take great joy in going to a pub to work. For the avoidance of doubt, our pub is a very inclusive space, and we serve the best drinks there are, both alcoholic and alcohol-free.
Your career has spanned multiple companies and countries. When you look back so far, which achievements feel most meaningful to you?
In my early career, I took the Innocent bobble hat campaign called ‘The Big Knit’ nationally for the first time with Sainsbury’s. Incredibly, 25% of the hats knitted that year were by Sainsbury’s colleagues. We had in-store and head-office knitathons all over the country and raised £100k for Age Concern. That campaign won a Prince’s Trust Award, which was presented on a very special night to the Sainsbury’s buyer and me by Prince Charles and Al Gore at the Royal Albert Hall.
Most recently, I’m proud of what we have achieved as a team at Lucky Saint. Six years ago, we were a team of five. Covid hit weeks after I joined, and we lost 75% of our revenue overnight as pubs and bars closed. We quickly realised we only had three weeks of cash left.
Standing here today in 2026, Lucky Saint is a BCorp, the UK’s most loved alcohol-free beer brand and the only independent British brand in the top 20. Lucky Saint is the fourth biggest alcohol-free brand in the UK, behind the global giants Guinness, Heineken and Peroni. We’re now a team of 65 and a Times top 100 place to work. I’m proud to have been a part of this growth, done in the right way.
You’re very active beyond your core role, sitting on several boards and councils. How important is this work to you, and how do you decide where to invest your time?
My way of giving back is to support the wider industry in several ways; I’m on the boards of the British Beer & Pub Association and the Hospitality Sector Council, which was established during Covid to support the hospitality industry. I also work with the Government and the Department for Business & Trade in the interests of the industry.
I’m a big advocate for paying it forward as an ambassador for several organisations, including Raising the Glass for women in drinks, and I volunteer for an incredible organisation, which I highly encourage others to join, called Inspiring the Future.
What do you enjoy most about your career?
I love the people element of my career, both building relationships with customers and the wider industry and creating the conditions to develop high-performing teams. Enabling others to achieve their ambitions is a huge privilege and motivator for me.
In a world that is increasing in speed and intensity, the need to remain adaptable is more critical than ever. Despite this, I never underestimate how important it is to stop, smell the roses and have fun!
What advice would you give to prospective students thinking about studying at Bath?
I couldn’t recommend Bath more highly. The level of academics, sport, community and network will give you a fantastic edge and the most sensational start in your career. 
The city of Bath is also stunning, with fantastic culture, countryside and hospitality to enjoy, live and work in.
And to those aspiring to a career like yours?
Whatever you start with, simply be useful. Think about how you could add value, and even what projects you could take off your boss. Getting some wins will fuel confidence in yourself and others.
If you’ve had a good shot at one career path or organisation and you’re not feeling it where you are, move, don’t get stuck!
Think about two circles, one small and one massive. The small is your comfort zone, while the huge one is where the magic happens. Say yes to stuff that scares you, or makes you feel sick, because that's where you'll sling shot your personal growth.
Get comfortable with all financials, KPIs and commercial metrics and lean into them. On a girl's holiday when I was in my early 20’s in Ibiza, you’d find me sitting around the pool reading the book Finance for Non-Financial Managers with a pad and pen! Do whatever it takes.
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