Penny de Valk was Strategy Director at Ceridian for 10 years before joining ILM as Chief Executive in October 2007. Penny is from New Zealand where she held the post of Chief Executive of the Institute of Management in Auckland for four years as well as two non-executive director positions with listed companies.

Her decision to join ILM was driven by a desire to work for an organisation that made a significant contribution to the quality of organisational life and organisational success.  Having worked for 20 years helping organisations make the most of their people, Penny remains convinced that the quality of management and leadership is the most powerful catalyst to drive value in any organisation.

She strongly believes that expectations have magnified from every direction for leaders and managers in the UK and that their biggest challenge is to master the personal and professional resilience to thrive in a new environment and bring out the best in themselves and their people.
Penny is a recognised pioneer in the work/life balance debate and was instrumental in making Ceridian the first organisation in the UK to offer a fully integrated EAP and work/life service.