Niluka Kavanagh MA (Oxon) | Keynote Speaker
Founder The Modern CEO & IMAGINETHAT Club
Welcome
Niluka Kavanagh
Microsoft Top 10 Speaker
IWD Speaker.
Founder, Advisor, Futurist.
Like a TED talk. Your delivery was incredible, and the content was packed with insights. Best talk of the conference.”
- Jon Salthouse
I was looking for a keynote that could help us put a spotlight on why humanity is critical during a time of technological disruption, and Niluka Kavanagh was a wonderful partner in helping us achieve that goal.I’ve worked with dozens of keynote speakers over the years, and few have made the effort Niluka did to truly understand the audience. Her message was insightful, timely, and deeply human, while still being practical and grounded in the realities people are navigating in their work today.My goal for any keynote is for people to leave thinking differently than they did when they walked in. That’s exactly what I heard from attendees after Niluka’s session. She gave people ideas to reflect on, questions to sit with, and a renewed appreciation for the role humanity must play as technology continues to reshape the world of work and learning.That, to me, is the mark of an excellent keynote.- David Kelly, Chair of Learning Technologies Conference
"Her presentation style was refreshingly unique… Please Learning Technologies, book her as a guest speaker again." — Oliver Scragg
Niluka gave an excellent, thought-provoking and insightful presentation at the CBCC 2024 Conference, exploring the future of work and trends when it comes to how, where and why we work. As a speaker, she was highly engaging, holding the audience’s attention with her informative yet relatable style. I was impressed by the depth of her insights and knowledge, which were grounded in both her personal experiences and current industry trends. I’m confident the audience found her equally compelling, and I look forward to hearing her speak again.- Noah Levy, Consulting with NBC Peacock TV Show & USA Today Best-Selling Author | TEDx Speaker | Founder of Medium.com’s Largest Music Blog
Keynote Talks
High-impact, perspective-shifting talks on modern leadership, the future of work and building organisations that people actually want to be part of. Keynote fees start from £7K.
Niluka Kavanagh, MA (Oxon) is an Executive Advisor, international speaker, and Founder of The Modern CEO and ImagineThat.Niluka is Microsoft Top 10 Speaker (2025), listed as an official speaker for IWD (International Women's Day) and a member of the UN Innovation Network.An ex-Big 4 consultant, Niluka has built her career at the intersection of strategy, leadership, communication, and culture, advising executives and founders on how to lead effectively in an increasingly complex world of work.Through The Modern CEO, Niluka works with senior leaders and leadership teams on the human side of the future of work - from modern leadership behaviours and psychological safety, to communication, engagement, and building high-performing, multigenerational teams.Her work helps organisations move beyond outdated leadership models and towards cultures that enable clarity, trust, and sustainable performance in the modern workplace. Alongside this, Niluka is the founder of ImagineThat, a global community supporting new entrepreneurs.A graduate of the University of Oxford, Niluka was selected as an Alumni Ambassador for Somerville College and featured in the University of Oxford’s Entrepreneurial Spotlight.She began her career at KPMG LLP, where she progressed through market development, innovation, and customer strategy roles, later serving as Head of Communications for KPMG SheCan and founding the firm’s Behavioural Science Unit.She has since co-founded a tech start-up featured in the Scottish Sun and other outlets and a public speaking business with clients including Siemens, Deloitte, and the University of Chicago.Niluka is also the host of Breaking Boundaries with Niluka on YouTube and her insights have been published by organisations including The World Financial Review and the University of Cambridge.Collectively, she has over 22,000 followers and growing across social.
Example keynotes
Every talk sends people away with clear, practical ways to bring out the best in themselves, their teams and their organisations.
Do People Still Matter? The Human Side of the Future of WorkHuman, AI and Behavioural Science: The Role Of The Employee Today And The Science of High Performance"Soft Skills" No More: How Employees Will Succeed In The Future of WorkLessons From The Globe: Nomadic Mindsets and Building Resilience In The Future of Work
Presentations & Workshops
Interactive, implementation-focused sessions centred on engagement, innovation and modern leadership practices. Please enquire about specific programmes tailored to your team's needs.
"Niluka truly excels in both her analytical and creative thinking. She applies both simultaneously to solve client challenges with a refreshing ease and elegance that few possess. Always articulate and compelling, Niluka is a great storyteller, able to land her ideas persuasively, and as such is an excellent manager also of others. Importantly, she is also a super nice person with a great deal of integrity - if you have the chance to work with her, grab it with both hands."- Joanna Stringer, Partner & Managing Director at Boston Consulting Group
Phenomenal session. Easily the best of the conference by far.”
- Michael Osborne“Absolutely exceptional. Impressive to watch - slick, articulate, and full of energy. The content was strong and delivery flawless. People were still talking about it afterwards..”
— Sarah Clayton-Jones
Event Hosting & Emcee
Reliable, sharp, composed and deeply engaging on stage, Niluka brings intelligence and warmth to panels, summits and leadership events.
"It's rare in your professional life to come across an individual like Niluka. Niluka is brave, passionate, strategic and creative along with being an exceptional communicator. She is also very humble, down to earth and kind which are qualities I value and admire hugely. The results that Niluka achieves for her clients is matched in spades by the way she delivers them and her ability to build highly personalised relationships that she continues to nurture. Anyone who has the pleasure of working alongside Niluka is incredibly lucky."- Gillian Mclaughlin, Former Head of Marketing Strategy at Standard Chartered
Knocked the session out of the park. Brilliant blend of academic rigour and practical application - translating complex theory into sharp, memorable takeaways. - Robert Hubbard
Executive 1:1 Advisory
Strategic, high-trust advisory for executives and senior leaders navigating growth, change and cultural complexity. Please enquire about specific programmes tailored to your leader's needs.
“Punchy, memorable, and rooted in science but made relevant.”
— Elisa Bassi, PhD, Strategic Transformation Leader, Barilla Group“That was perfect, an incredible talk and so engaging.”
— Joy Verplanck, Chief Learning Officer, Growth Ready
“I’ve been doing tech at conferences for three years and I barely listen to the keynotes. This was the one exception; I was gripped at every moment. Absolutely brilliant.”
— Robyn Backhouse, AV Technician · Learning Technologies Conference“The best keynote of the conference. I’m taking aspects of your presentation back to discuss with my colleagues in the Netherlands.”
— Marijne Wijnker