With over 25 years of senior executive experience in Business Operations and HR, Cheryl Thornton has held leadership roles across global and regional organisations spanning the Property, Banking, Retail, Education and Aviation sectors.
Cheryl is a results-driven C-suite leader with a strong track record in designing and executing people strategies that drive business performance and support growth. She has led large-scale HR and Operations functions with workforces of up to 70,000 employees, building high-performing teams and delivering transformative initiatives aligned to organisational goals.
Highly regarded as a trusted advisor to Boards and senior leadership, Cheryl currently is a Senior Business Advisor and serves as an Advisory Board Member for CIPD Middle East, a Global Advisory Board Member for the Learning & Performance Institute (UK), and Adjunct Faculty & SME at PwC’s Academy Middle East.
Cheryl holds an MBA and a Bachelor of Education from the University of New England, Australia, and is a Fellow of the Chartered Management Institute (CMI), the Institute of Managers and Leaders (IML), the Learning & Performance Institute (LPI), and the Chartered Institute of Personnel and Development (CIPD).
An active contributor to both international and local professional communities, Cheryl serves as an Assessor with the Dubai Quality Group, mentors with the Cherie Blair Foundation and the Al Ghurair Foundation for Education and is a Judge for the Emirates Women’s Awards and the CIPD People Awards.
A seasoned leadership figure both regionally and globally, Cheryl is known for her integrity, discretion and credibility in all aspects of her work.