Book IWD Speaker: Sheila Vijeyarasa

Award-winning CFO turned leadership coach, empowering women & leaders to master brave conversations, resilience & transformative vision

Sheila Vijeyarasa is a multi-award-winning author, global keynote speaker, and executive leadership coach who inspires audiences to embrace courage, resilience, and reinvention in every stage of life and career.

Known simply as Sheila V, she is the creator of The Brave Woman™, Brave Conversations™, and The Brave Leader™ frameworks, which have transformed thousands of leaders across industries including finance, technology, government, events, and healthcare.

A former Chief Financial Officer and Finance Director with over 20 years of corporate experience, Sheila understands first-hand the pressures of high-stakes leadership, burnout, and the barriers women and diverse leaders face in rising to the top.

Having held senior roles at global publishers such as Simon & Schuster and Random House, she brings unmatched commercial acumen to her stage presence.

Today, she blends this with her deep coaching expertise to deliver practical strategies that help female leaders master imposter syndrome, perfectionism, and the fear of failure, the hidden obstacles that hold even the most talented professionals back.

Sheila is also an internationally bestselling author of Brave: Courageously Live Your Truth and The Power of Little Steps.

Her writing, keynote talks, and programs consistently explore one central idea: bravery is not about grand gestures, it’s about everyday acts.

Whether it’s speaking up in a meeting, asking for a promotion, navigating IVF treatment, or choosing to rest in a culture that glorifies burnout. These “Little Brave Acts” compound into transformative change.

Her story of late blooming resonates deeply with audiences. Becoming a mother at 47 through IVF, Sheila’s fertility journey was documented on the high-rating Australian television series Big Miracles, streamed globally on Apple TV. This opened up conversations on women’s health, resilience, and societal expectations, with millions of viewers reaching out to share how her openness gave them hope.

Today, she continues to break taboos by speaking candidly about fertility, career pivots, loss, and reinvention, subjects that matter to both women and men navigating modern workplaces.

Event Managers consistently praise Sheila for her dynamic stage presence, authenticity, and ability to connect across cultures and industries.

Her sessions balance compelling storytelling with research-based strategies, leaving participants with both inspiration and actionable tools. She has delivered keynote talks and workshops for organisations including NAB, CBA, Findex, CPA Australia, Women in Technology WA, IMEX America, and The Shift Network, as well as for international women’s leadership forums across Canada, the U.S., and Asia.

Key topics Sheila delivers include:
• The Brave Mindset™: Building resilience, confidence, and emotional agility to thrive in uncertain times.
• Brave Conversations™: How to speak up, negotiate, and lead with authenticity in high-pressure environments.
• The Brave Woman: Breaking stereotypes, navigating setbacks, and thriving in unconventional timelines.

Whether she is speaking to an audience of 50 or 5,000, Sheila’s message is clear: bravery is a skill you can practice, and a choice you can make every single day.

Event organisers can expect a highly engaging keynote that is tailored to their industry and audience, filled with humour, humanity, and hard-won wisdom.

Attendees leave not only inspired but equipped with a renewed sense of clarity, courage, and commitment to their own growth.

Sheila travels globally and is available for in person and virtual IWD events.

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