Ilja Rijnen

With around 20 years of progressive experience in global leadership roles across Asia Pacific, Europe, and the Americas, I currently serve as Senior Director of Global Learning, Leadership & Change at Suntory Global Spirits, part of the world's third-largest spirits company. I lead enterprise-wide learning, talent and change initiatives that impact over 2,700 leaders globally, while managing transformation programs that shape organizational culture and drive business performance.

Throughout my career at leading companies including Suntory, Diageo, IKEA and Edrington, I've specialized in building high-performing teams, developing innovative learning solutions, and orchestrating complex organizational transformations. My background in Psychology combined with certifications in PROSCI Change Management and Strategic Organization Design allows me to bring a unique perspective to leadership development and organizational effectiveness.

I'm deeply passionate about unlocking human potential and creating sustainable organizational change. As a polyglot fluent in multiple languages and having worked across diverse cultural contexts, I bring a truly global mindset to mentoring relationships.