Niluka Kavanagh is the Founder of ImagineThat, the creator of The Modern CEO and an ex-Big 4 Consultant, having forged a career in innovation, strategy, and building a reputable brand. Dedicated to offering other start-ups and entrepreneurs the support she wishes she had, Niluka is helping to foster a confident community of like-minded professionals navigating the business landscape.
As a University of Oxford graduate, Niluka was selected as an Alumni Ambassador for Somerville College, leading to a feature in the University of Oxford’s Entrepreneurial Spotlight. Her professional journey began in a graduate market development role at KPMG LLP. During her tenure, she progressed through various roles and had the opportunity to lead KPMG SheCan as Head of Communications, and also founded the KPMG Behavioural Science Unit. Niluka exited the business after climbing to a managerial role in customer, marketing and brand strategy. She then co-founded and served as CMO and Director of the tbc app, a dating app. At the same time, she also founded HelpMePresent, guiding individuals in the art of public speaking, with clients ranging from Siemens and Deloitte to the University of Chicago. Today, Niluka is the founder of ImagineThat, an invite-only group that serves to help other founders build their business with motivation and clarity. She is also the creator of The Modern CEO, the organisational branch of ImagineThat, helping leaders rethink their attitudes to business management and working environments.
Alongside this, Niluka is also the host of the YouTube channel Breaking Boundaries with Niluka, where she engages with other entrepreneurs who have also broken barriers in business. Her insights have been published across various media outlets, including KPMG LLP, The World Financial Review, and Cambridge University. Niluka is also a member of the UN Culture of Innovation Group and has been named as one of the Top 10 Leading Speakers to Follow by MSN.
With first-hand experience and a passion for guiding others, Niluka is providing deeply impactful insights into the world of entrepreneurship and offering audiences the tools to excel with new approaches to working. Her Modern CEO framework encourages engagement, innovation, intrapreneurship, and effective communication across multigenerational teams, resulting in a better approach to psychological safety. With expertise in future of work, communication, leadership and culture, Niluka is the perfect speaker for a multitude of corporate summits, events, and conferences.
Official Feedback from In-Person & Virtual Events
"It's rare in your professional life to come across an individual like Niluka. Niluka is brave, passionate, entrepreneurial, 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, Former Head of Marketing Strategy at Standard Chartered
"Niluka is super smart and has a natural creative flair. Her experience in marketing, brand and customer really shone through - I learnt a lot while working with her and can see she is very commercial in how she approaches business. Niluka is an excellent communicator and I really enjoyed her action-orientated and collaborative style. If you have the chance to work with her, I would hugely recommend it!" - Kat, Former Marketing Assistant
"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, Partner & Managing Director at BCG
- 2025 - Named among the Top Leading Speakers to Follow by MSN
- 2025 - Member, UN Culture of Innovation
- 2025 - Created The Modern CEO
- 2024 - Founder, ImagineThat
- 2023 - Keynote Speaker
- 2022 - Host, Breaking Boundaries with Niluka
- 2022 - Co-founder, tbc app
- 2021 - Founder, HelpMePresent
- 2021 - Manager, Customer, Marketing & Brand Strategy, KPMG LLP
- 2021 - Founder, KPMG Behavioural Science Unit, KPMG LLP
- 2020 - Head of Communications, KPMG SheCan
- 2017 - Graduate, Market Development, KPMG LLP
- 2016 - Alumni Relations, Oxford Ambassador, Somerville College, The University of Oxford
How to hire Niluka Kavangh
Contact the Champions Speakers Agency to provisionally enquire about hiring Niluka Kavangh for your next event, today. To get in touch, simply call an official booking agent on 0207 1010 553 or email us at [email protected] for more information.
** We do NOT accept requests for autographs, signed merchandise, fan mail, birthday messages or any other non-commercial contact with the speakers or acts. Each speaker on the website may not have necessarily worked with Champions in the past but are known to perform such engagements within the industry.
