Deshika Rodrigo

Women empowerment, Human Resources, employee engagement and motivation

Deshika Rodrigo has over 25 years of experience in HR including Microsoft Corporation, USA and at Standard Chartered Bank, Sri Lanka where she was the Head of Human Resources, for 11 years. She is a guest lecturer at several institutes and is invited to speak at various forums.  

Deshika specializes in Executive Coaching and Development, Coaching through Career transitions, Assessment Centers, the design and implementation of HR policies, enhancing employee engagement, professional etiquette, Women’s Empowerment and using psychometric tools to develop leadership, self-awareness and team work. She works with many local and international clients including Dialog Axiata, Heineken, Airtel, Akbar Brothers, Goodhope Asia, Fentons, SAGT, Peoples’ Bank and Parts Life Inc (USA).

Deshika holds a BA Honors Degree in English and Psychology from the University of Washington, USA, an MBA from the Australian Institute of Business, is an Associate of the Chartered Institute of Bankers, UK, a Chartered Member of the Chartered Institute of Personnel and Development (CIPD) UK, a certified Executive and Strengths Coach and an accredited Practitioner of MBTI and DiSC Psychometric tools.

As the former Head of HR of Standard Chartered Bank, Deshika played a key role in driving the Banks diversity and engagement agenda with special emphasis on women and won the “Most Outstanding Workplace for Women” award by the IFS (2016), Sri Lanka’s Best Employer Brand award by the World Federation of HR Professionals & the HRD Congress in 2017 and the Market Leaders in HR award by the NHRC in 2017.  She is the founder of “Lean In Sri Lanka” which aims to empower working women through collaboration and support.  She was also a past President of the Zonta Club III of Colombo which is involved in the upliftment of women and children.  Her hobbies include fitness, playing the piano, traveling and cooking.

Deshika is the recipient of the 100 Most Influential Global HR Professionals award and Sri Lanka’s Top Women Leaders award (by the World Federation of HR Professionals & the HRD Congress – 2017) and has also won the Women in Management Gold award for “Leadership Excellence in Human Resources” (2015) as well as “Sri Lanka’s Top Women Leaders” award and the “501 Fabulous Global HR Leaders of the World 2020” award by the World Federation of HR Professionals.

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