Melanie Wijesinghe

Melanie has over 20 years of experience spanning fashion, marketing, business and finance. She began her professional journey in a career in finance at HSBC before transitioning into the fashion industry, where she worked in product development for major global brands, including NEXT, M&S, and Nike.

As a business and marketing consultant, she has helped brands navigate market complexities, refine their strategies, and drive innovation. She also serves as a consultant and advisory board member at the Research Intelligence Unit, contributing to industry insights and applied research.

Melanie has founded and built two successful fashion businesses, each thriving for over a decade and catering to a global clientele. Her ventures reflect her deep understanding of brand development and marketing, consumer behaviour, and sustainable business growth.

Her industry expertise is complemented by a strong academic foundation, including a MA in Fashion Entrepreneurship and Innovation from the London College of Fashion and a Level 7 Postgraduate in 'Strategic Leadership Marketing' from the Chartered Institute of Marketing (CIM), UK, where she is also a 'Chartered Marketer' and a 'Fellow'.

Committed to entrepreneurial education and leadership development, she has completed team leadership coaching training with Akatemia UK, a coaching methodology designed to foster collaborative learning in higher education. She integrates this approach into her teaching and mentoring, supporting students and entrepreneurs in developing innovative and sustainable business models.

Prior to joining University of Westminster, Melanie has delivered marketing training to companies and also been an academic at the London College of Fashion.

She is currently pursuing a PhD, her research explores how team dynamics, psychological capital, and wellbeing influence innovation and long-term business success, particularly in the fashion sector.