Dr. Ilka Dunne works at the intersection of leadership, culture, and strategy—bringing together development, design, communication, and coaching to support human flourishing. She partners with leaders and teams to strengthen identity, deepen connection, and build cultures that align purpose with performance.

With over twenty years of experience leading organizational and leadership culture in the financial services industry, Ilka’s work focuses on helping individuals and systems thrive in times of complexity and change. She has collaborated extensively with Lapin International and the Presencing Institute at MIT, integrating Theory U and other systemic approaches into her leadership work. Her career has also spanned the education, government, nonprofit, and corporate sectors, giving her a unique ability to bridge diverse perspectives in service of building a better future.

Ilka holds a BA (Hons) in Dramatic Art, an MEd, and a PhD in Personal, Interpersonal, and Professional Leadership. She is a qualified Systemic Team Coach with the Academy of Executive Coaching and the EMCC, an Aephoria Master Practitioner in Enneagram and Leadership Maturity, a Neurozone High-Performance Coach, and a foundational practitioner of Theory U. These diverse disciplines allow her to work fluidly at the intersection of personal identity, team dynamics, and organizational culture.

Ilka’s commitment to human development extends beyond corporate leadership. She has mentored NGO leaders through Business Arts South Africa and served ten years on the board of the South African Graduate Employers Association. She currently chairs the Commonwealth Study Conference Global Alumni Organization, bringing together leaders from across the Commonwealth to collaborate for social good.

A published author and thought leader, Ilka has contributed to local and international journals and wrote the chapter Leadership Identity Transitions in Leadership: Perspectives from the Front Line. She and her husband, Jay, live in Johannesburg and love exploring new cities or diving the big blue with their two children and their partners.