Who is Pia Heidenmark Cook

Pia Heidenmark Cook is one of the most prominent voices in sustainability-led business transformation. With over 30 years of experience across Europe and North America, she has worked at the intersection of strategy, operations, governance, and sustainability since 1996. Her background spans academia, consulting, and senior leadership roles in global companies, giving her a rare ability to connect theory with execution. Today, Pia is widely recognized for helping organizations translate sustainability into competitive advantage, resilience, and measurable financial impact.

Board roles and advisory work

Since 2021, Pia has worked as a non-executive director and senior advisor to large, mid-sized, and smaller corporations headquartered in the UK, France, the US, Sweden, and Germany. Her board experience covers diverse sectors including supply chain management, restaurants, healthcare, materials innovation, sports retail, and professional services.
She currently serves as a non-executive director at Achilles and MAX Burgers, and chairs the advisory board of The DO Group. Pia is also Senior Advisor to Eurazeo’s Planetary Boundaries Impact Fund and to Teneo, a global CEO advisory firm. Her previous board roles include Bupa, Origin Materials, and Decathlon. Across these roles, she is known for her sharp focus on governance, risk management, talent, and long-term value creation.

Leadership journey at IKEA

Pia spent 13 years at IKEA/Ingka Group, with her final five years as Chief Sustainability Officer from 2017 to 2021. In this role, she led the development and implementation of the IKEA People and Planet Positive strategy, embedding sustainability across the entire value chain. During her tenure, IKEA ranked among the top three most sustainable brands and succeeded in decoupling carbon dioxide emissions from commercial growth.
Her work at IKEA is frequently cited as a benchmark for how global companies can integrate sustainability into core strategy, operations, and culture while continuing to grow.

Keynote topics and expertise

Pia Heidenmark Cook speaks on sustainability as a driver of business performance, strategy, and transformation. Her core areas of expertise include:

• Sustainability and bottom-line value creation
• Business transformation and change management
• Circular and new business models
• Strategy development and execution
• Corporate governance and risk management
• Strategic communications and leadership alignment
• Talent management and organizational culture

Her presentations are pragmatic, insightful, and grounded in real leadership experience, making them highly relevant for executives, boards, and senior teams.

Author, lecturer, and global speaker

Pia is an experienced keynote speaker and lecturer, addressing audiences at corporate events, conferences, and executive education programs worldwide. She lectures on sustainability and business transformation at institutions such as Lund University, Cambridge Institute for Sustainable Leadership, INSEAD, Boards Impact Forum, and Competent Boards’ executive training programs.
She is also co-author of the CSO handbook “Embedding Sustainability – How to drive organizational transformation”, published by Kogan Page in July 2024. Her widely recognized TED talk, “How IKEA is Growing Business Whilst Shrinking Emissions,” further cemented her reputation as a clear and compelling voice on sustainable growth.

Recognition and global influence

Pia Heidenmark Cook has received numerous international recognitions for her leadership and influence. In 2024, she was named one of the most sought-after speakers on sustainability. She has been recognized as one of the world’s top female leaders in sustainability and a leading influence on climate change.
Her accolades include being named Top 20 Sustainability Voices by CEO Magazine in 2023, receiving the Global 50 Women in Sustainability Award by SustainabilityX® Magazine, being listed among the top 10 female leaders in sustainability by WBCSD, and ranking among the top influencers on the climate change agenda by the Climate Group. She has also been recognized among the top climate influencers globally.

Education and personal background

Pia holds an M.Sc. in Business Administration and Economics from Uppsala University and a Technical Licentiate in Environmental Management and Policy from Lund University. She has completed board director training in corporate governance at INSEAD and the Swedish Board Academy, along with executive leadership programs from McKinsey and Ruter Dam.
She has lived in France and Belgium, is married to a Canadian, and is based in Southern Sweden. This international background further shapes her global perspective on leadership, sustainability, and business transformation.

Book Pia Heidenmark Cook for your event to gain sharp insights into how sustainability, strategy, and leadership come together to create long-term value in an increasingly complex world.