Nelisha Wickremasinghe

Dr. Nelisha Wickremasinghe is an Associate Fellow at the Saïd Business School, University of Oxford, and an associate at Ashridge Hult Business School. She is a chartered psychologist, author, and consultant specializing in leadership development, organisational change, and psychotherapy. With over 30 years of experience, she integrates insights from neuroscience, developmental psychology, and systems thinking to foster resilient leadership in volatile environments.

Education: Nelisha holds a Doctorate in Organisational Change, a Master’s in Psychoanalytic Clinical Practice, a Master’s in Public Sector Management, and postgraduate qualifications in psychology and family therapy.

Research Interests: Her work focuses on cultivating self-compassion to enhance personal resilience, collaboration, and sustainable performance in organisations. She developed the Compassionate Leadership Development programme, blending neurobiological and psychological frameworks to transform self-relational patterns in leadership.

Teaching: Nelisha teaches topics such as personal resilience, team collaboration, conflict navigation, creative methodologies for personal inquiry, and performance coaching for leadership development.

Professional Contributions: As founding director of The Dialogue Space consultancy, she supports individuals, families, and organisations through deep developmental processes. Her books Beyond Threat and Being with Others explore workplace dynamics and relational integrity. Her thought leadership appears in Forbes, Fast Company, and Psychology Today.

Prior Experience: Nelisha led an award-winning organic food business and held clinical/management roles in mental health and social care sectors.