Cheese brings extensive global business experience and expertise in the field of HR having had a long career with Accenture, where he was global managing partner, responsible for the talent and organisation performance consulting practice.
An expert in talent, organisational performance and HR strategy and transformation, since leaving Accenture in 2009 he has pursued a portfolio of Board level business interests, academic work, public policy engagement, consulting and platform speaking work. Over his career he has worked at the highest level with some of the most respected and well-known organisations in the world, he writes and speaks extensively on the business and strategic issues of people and organisations, and was lead author of The Talent Powered Organisation, published in 2007.
Cheese, who will join the CIPD as chief executive on 2 July 2012, said: "I am excited at the opportunity to lead the CIPD in these pivotal times for business and employment. Now, more than ever, we need an HR profession that can help people and organisations to be the best that they can be, that can deliver both commercial and social value, and that is leading thinking in how work and the workforce is changing. The CIPD is already the largest HR professional body in Europe, and with an increasingly global footprint, it is well placed to provide leadership, insight, and influence, and to help develop HR capabilities, careers and opportunities for its current and future members.
"Jackie Orme has driven the CIPD on a journey of real change and progress. I look forward to continuing the journey as the CIPD enters its 100th year."
Gill Rider, CIPD president, added: "The CIPD Board is delighted to appoint Peter Cheese as the Institute's new Chief Executive. With his high-level, global experience of business and his track record in HR thought leadership, he is ideally placed to lead the next phase of the CIPD's ambitious plans. Peter is committed to extending both the value the CIPD gives to our members, and supporting the growth of the HR profession to deliver ever greater value to global workforces and businesses. In our search, in keeping with our aspirations for the CIPD, we set our sights high and were delighted to be able to select Peter from an exceptionally strong field of candidates."