Saliya Witharana
Ascendant Consulting
Potrero
1
Certification
34
years of professional experience
Results-driven executive with over 20 years of experience in Digital Transformation and Cloud services across Fortune 100 companies and a Big-4 Consulting firm. Skilled in integrating AI capabilities to enhance revenue growth and organizational efficiency. Expertise in program and project management with a strong focus on AWS Cloud services and supply chain optimization.
Work History
Managing Director / Owner
3 Years 6 Months- Providing contract consulting services for cloud-based Digital transformation strategy, organizational improvements, organizational assessments, and program management and oversight for successful delivery of outcomes.
Director – AWS Professional Services
1 Year 11 Months- Provided consulting services and solutions for a diverse portfolio of hi-tech and manufacturing industry clients.
- Solutioned and delivered Supply Chain visibility improvement engagement using AI/ML services to increase Forecasting accuracy by 40% and Sales and Operations Planning (S&OP) accuracy by 15%.
- Achieved 100% on CSAT scores for multiple programs by providing leadership and oversight with 100% on-time delivery, under budget, successful resource/SME model and meeting sales margins.
- Delivered Supply Chain visibility improvement engagement utilizing AI/ML, boosting forecasting accuracy by 40% and S&OP accuracy by 15%.
Director | Consulting Services - Dell Global Transformation Office
1 Year 5 Months- Led sales and delivery of consulting and transformation engagements for select customers generating over $75M in annual sales.
- Managed $300M account delivery, enabling CIO and CTO-led cloud modernization through re-architecture and IT transformation to support business needs such as workload mobility and fully automated lifecycle management.
- Led cross-functional teams to drive product innovation and go-to-market strategies.
- Developed strategic partnerships to enhance customer engagement and expand market reach.
- Oversaw multiple project initiatives, ensuring alignment with corporate objectives and resource allocation.
Managing Director – Sales, Delivery and Operations
4 Years- Manage Phoenix consulting practice. Accountable for business development, sales strategy to drive new consulting pipeline, meeting sales targets, company P&L, developing practice offerings and go-to market strategies, delivery, talent acquisition and operations.
- Turned around Phoenix Consulting Practice into a profitable business in 12 months.
- Transformed Phoenix Consulting Practice into a profitable business within 12 months by implementing strategic initiatives and operational improvements.
Sr. Manager / Client Executive
4 Years- Accountable for shaping and delivering IT transformation solutions at multiple clients targeting $12-15M in managed revenue and sales. Responsible for overall engagement delivery including planning and budgeting, mobilizing and managing engagement teams, defining deliverable structure and content, facilitating buy-in of proposed solutions from top management levels at the client, and directing on-time delivery.
- Led cross-functional teams to develop and implement strategic initiatives, enhancing operational efficiency across client engagements.
- Directed large-scale transformation projects, aligning stakeholder objectives with organizational goals to drive sustainable growth.
- Facilitated workshops and brainstorming sessions to identify process improvements, fostering a culture of innovation within teams.
Director – Sales and Business Development
2 YearsDirector Strategic Sourcing & Global Supply Chain Operations, Technology Development
15 YearsEducation
MBA
BS - Chemical Engineering
Skills
Utilizing AI capabilities for performance improvements
Building and coaching high performance teams
Managing delivery of complex programs and projects
Cloud expertise - AWS Certified Solutions Architect
Cloud Migration & Operating model expertise
AI/ML supply chain and Operations experience
Providing strategic direction for performance improvements
Digital transformation
Revenue growth
Cost reduction
Strategic planning
Certification
- AWS Certified - Solutions Architect Associate- SAA
- Artificial Intelligence: Implications for Business Strategy - MIT Sloan School of Management
- Blockchain Technologies: Business Innovation and Application - MIT Sloan School of Management
- PROSCI – Certified Organizational Change management (OCM) Agent
AWARDS
Recipient of 2 Intel Achievement Awards (IAA). Highest recognition given by Intel., US Patent 7413936 B2: Method of forming copper layers on programmable packages.
Timeline
Managing Director / Owner
Ascendant Consulting
01.2023 - CurrentRead More
Director – AWS Professional Services
Amazon Web Services
01.2021 - 12.2022Read More
Director | Consulting Services - Dell Global Transformation Office
Dell Technologies
07.2019 - 12.2020Read More
Managing Director – Sales, Delivery and Operations
MSS Business Transformation Advisory – Boutique Consultancy
01.2015 - 01.2019Read More
Sr. Manager / Client Executive
Accenture - Management Consulting
01.2010 - 01.2014Read More
Director – Sales and Business Development
Samsung Corporation
01.2008 - 01.2010Read More
Director Strategic Sourcing & Global Supply Chain Operations, Technology Development
Intel Corporation
01.1993 - 01.2008Read More
California State University
BS from Chemical Engineering
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W.P Carey School of Business, Arizona State University
MBA
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