Atula Abeysekera
Atula Abeysekera | |
|---|---|
| Born | London, England |
| Occupation(s) | Engineer, academic, enterprise risk management specialist |
| Years active | 1981–present |
| Known for | Enterprise Risk Management in financial services; Professor of Practice in Risk Management at Imperial College London |
Atula Abeysekera HonFREng, FCGI, is a distinguished British engineer, academic, and specialist in Enterprise Risk Management within the financial services industry.
Early life
Abeysekera was born in London, England, and spent his formative years in Sri Lanka before moving back to the United Kingdom. He earned his degree in civil engineering from Imperial College, London in 1981.
Career
Following a four-year tenure as a civil engineer, Abeysekera shifted his focus to the financial services sector. His professional experience includes roles at prominent firms such as KPMG, Morgan Stanley, Fidelity, Lazard, and Schroders. After the Grenfell Tower disaster, he was appointed by the Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government to oversee the building safety programme and continues to participate as a member of the Industry Safety Steering Group (ISSG).
He is also affiliated with The Worshipful Company of International Bankers and holds the position of Professor of Practice in Risk Management at Imperial College, where he serves on the Court.
Notable Publications & Work
Abeysekera’s contributions have appeared in various professional journals and policy institutes. He is the author of the policy paper Black Swans means business and the book What's the small idea? - Innovation and Risk Culture in Government. Regularly invited to speak on Black Swan theory related to risk management, he delivered his acclaimed inaugural lecture titled Engineering a Better World at Imperial College London on 7 December 2022.
Awards
In 2017, Abeysekera received a Fellowship from the City and Guilds of London Institute. He is also a recipient of the Freedom of the City of London. In recognition of his outstanding engineering achievements, he was elected honorary fellow of the Royal Academy of Engineering in 2024.