Niluka Kavanagh

Niluka Kavanagh is an executive advisor and leadership specialist who helps organisations modernise how they lead, communicate, and build high-performing teams. A former Big 4 consultant and founder of The Modern CEO, she advises senior leaders on psychological safety, engagement, and navigating the complexities of multigenerational workforces. Named a Microsoft Top 10 Speaker and recognised by the University of Oxford's Entrepreneurial Spotlight, Niluka combines strategic rigour with deep insight into workplace culture. Her sessions equip leaders with practical frameworks to move beyond outdated models, fostering clarity, trust, and sustainable performance that directly strengthen organisational resilience and team effectiveness.

After founding KPMG's Behavioural Science Unit and later co-founding a tech start-up that captured national attention, Niluka Kavanagh turned her focus to a pressing challenge facing organisations worldwide: how to lead effectively when traditional models no longer serve the complexity of modern work. A graduate of the University of Oxford and former Big 4 consultant, she has spent her career at the intersection of strategy, leadership, communication, and culture. Today, as Founder of The Modern CEO and ImagineThat, she advises executives and senior leadership teams on the human side of the future of work, helping them navigate the demands of multigenerational teams, psychological safety, and sustainable performance. Named a Microsoft Top 10 Speaker for 2025 and recognised as an official speaker for International Women's Day, Niluka's influence extends across sectors and continents, supported by a growing community of over 22,000 followers.

Niluka's expertise is rooted in both a rigorous academic foundation and real-world application. Selected as an Alumni Ambassador for Somerville College and featured in the University of Oxford's Entrepreneurial Spotlight, she has progressed through roles spanning market development, innovation, customer strategy, and communications at KPMG LLP, where she also served as Head of Communications for KPMG SheCan. Her work has been published by organisations including The World Financial Review and the University of Cambridge, and she hosts Breaking Boundaries with Niluka on YouTube, where she explores the evolving landscape of leadership and entrepreneurship. As a member of the UN Innovation Network and founder of a global community supporting new entrepreneurs, Niluka combines strategic insight with a deep understanding of workplace culture and the behaviours that drive meaningful change.

Through her advisory work and speaking engagements for clients including Siemens, Deloitte, and the University of Chicago, Niluka equips leaders with practical frameworks that move organisations beyond outdated hierarchies and towards cultures rooted in clarity, trust, and engagement. Her sessions focus on actionable strategies that leaders can implement immediately, from fostering psychological safety to building high-performing teams across generations. Audiences leave with a renewed understanding of what modern leadership requires and the tools to create environments where people and performance thrive together. Whether addressing executive teams or large-scale conferences, Niluka delivers lasting impact by connecting the why behind cultural transformation with the how of everyday leadership practice.