CIPD names Neil Carberry as chief executive
Neil Carberry to lead CIPD from September 2026, succeeding Peter Cheese after 14 years in role.
The Chartered Institute of Personnel and Development has appointed Neil Carberry as chief executive from 28 September 2026. He succeeds Peter Cheese, who will retire on 30 June after 14 years in the role.
Carberry joins from the Recruitment and Employment Confederation, where he has been chief executive since 2018. Earlier in his career, he led work on employment, skills and labour market policy at the Confederation of British Industry. He has also held roles across the sector, including chair of the CBI’s Trade Association Council and a position on the advisory board of the Fair Work Agency.
His experience spans three decades across HR, employment policy and business representation. He was awarded an OBE in 2025 for services to business and the economy. Previous roles include membership of the council at Advisory, Conciliation and Arbitration Service and two terms on the Low Pay Commission.
CIPD chair Chris Bones said the organisation is entering a period of change shaped by technology and AI, with implications for productivity and people management. He said Carberry’s experience across policy and membership organisations would support the next phase of the institute’s work.
Carberry said the CIPD has a role to play in improving economic outcomes through better people management. He pointed to the link between productivity, performance and workforce capability as labour markets continue to shift.
An interim arrangement will run between Cheese’s departure and Carberry’s start date. Caroline Stockmann, a CIPD board member and treasurer, will act as interim chief executive.