Kalenkov graduated from Moscow Power Engineering Institute with a degree in Thermal Power Engineering with a specialization in Boiler Installation and Ecology of Electric Power Industry.

DHL was his first workplace, where Ilya Kalenkov began to gain experience in sales and negotiations.

Kalenkov has been carrying out professional activities in the field of electrical engineering since 1995. In the same year he started working in Cooper Industries, which produced turbine units for gas pumping stations. In 1997, he left his previous job and started working in the Russian branch of the British company Thorn Lighting, one of the leading European manufacturers of lighting equipment and lighting control systems.

In 2004, Ilya Kalenkov and Sergey Dubenok together founded the company Evropeyskaya Elektrotekhnica, where Kalenkov holds the position of General Director and is also a member of the Board of Directors.