Reflections on Peter Cheese’s Opening Keynote at the CIPD Annual Conference 2025
The 2025 CIPD Annual Conference has always been more than a gathering — it’s a pulse check on the profession. This year, in Manchester Central, Peter Cheese, CEO of the CIPD, opened the 76th edition with a call that resonated deeply: “Champion people, transform work.”
His message was both reflective and forward-looking — a synthesis of gratitude for the profession’s progress and urgency about what lies ahead.
A Time of Profound Change
Peter began by reminding delegates that never before have so many forces converged on the world of work: political uncertainty, economic instability, social change, rapid technological progress, shifting legal frameworks, and intensifying environmental pressure. The old PESTLE model has never felt more alive.
In his words, “In over 40 years in business, I’ve never seen so much going on in all of these dimensions.”
Globalization has given way to protectionism, supply chains are being reimagined, and technological change — particularly artificial intelligence — is redefining the contours of work. Yet for Peter, the essential task of the HR profession remains constant: to get the best out of people alongside getting the best out of technology.
The Age of AI and the Human Imperative
Three years after the launch of ChatGPT, AI continues to disrupt industries. Peter emphasized that HR professionals must not merely adapt to this change but shape it. The future, he said, “is already here — it’s just unevenly distributed.”
To that end, CIPD has invested in its own large language model, trained on CIPD’s knowledge base to make learning and professional guidance more accessible to members. It’s a powerful symbol of the profession embracing the very technologies it must help organizations adopt responsibly.
A Profession Under Pressure — and in the Spotlight
Peter acknowledged the criticism HR has faced in the past year — at times being blamed for stagnating productivity or bureaucratic inertia. But rather than resist criticism, he urged the profession to “tell its story better.”
What do we do? Why do we do it? What difference does it make?
This call to clarity is both a challenge and an opportunity. The survey data Peter shared showed that HR professionals who identify strongly with the profession — who invest in their own development and feel connected to the CIPD — also experience higher recognition within their organizations. The link between professionalism, confidence, and credibility could not be clearer.
Investing in Ourselves
Peter returned to a metaphor he’s used before: the “cobbler’s children.” HR professionals are often so busy developing others that they forget to invest in themselves. His call was direct — “We are a profession, and we need to invest in ourselves.”
From digital badging to learning hubs now used by over 30,000 members, the CIPD continues to create pathways for lifelong professional growth. The organization’s Professional Development Partnership program, supporting HR and L&D teams across sectors — from SMEs to the NHS — reflects a shared commitment to professionalize and elevate the function.
Shaping the Future of Work — Together
The CIPD brings together academics, practitioners, business leaders, and technologists, the Commission will explore different scenarios for the future — and, crucially, how HR can shape them.
“The best way to predict the future,” he said, “is to shape it.”
This forward-looking initiative embodies a simple truth: the profession doesn’t just respond to the future of work — it has the agency to design it.
A Parallel with HRPro.be
Peter’s vision for the CIPD resonates strongly with how we, at HRPro.be, see our mission in Belgium. Like the CIPD, we believe that the profession needs a strong, independent voice — one that speaks for HR as a driver of progress, performance, and social value.
We, too, see HR not as a support function but as a shaping force — the architect of human capability, organizational culture, and sustainable business. Our shared challenge is to ensure that the profession is heard, valued, and equipped to lead in times of complexity.
In Closing
After 14 years as CEO, Peter Cheese’s reflections carried both wisdom and warmth. He reminded the profession of its roots in people, its responsibility to society, and its power to influence the world of work for the better.
At a time when technology, economics, and politics often dominate the agenda, his opening message cut through with clarity:
“There has never been a more important time for our profession.”
We couldn’t agree more.
We thank Peter for his leadership in HR in the UK and Europe and wish him all the best for his retirement that he announced at the end of his opening speech.
