Rukshan de Silva RPIA
Rukshan is a Registered Planner and Graduate of the Australian Institute of Company Directors, who currently holds the role of National Planning Manager at Lendlease.
With a background that spans across consulting, local government, and state government, he is committed to ensuring that Australia’s planners and planning systems are set up for success. His experience is focused in strategic planning, community and stakeholder engagement, program delivery, and economic development.
Rukshan leverages his experience and networks to prioritise cross-sector collaboration in responding to key issues confronting the planning profession. In his former role, he brought together PIA, state government, local government, private sector, and academia, to address the planner shortage and grow a pipeline of para-planners, and is continuing to prioritise effective responses to the planning skills shortage on the PIA Board.
Rukshan’s commitment to the profession is evidenced by his past role as Vice President of PIA's NSW Division, as well as his work as a Course Convenor and Lecturer for the City Economics, Urban Development and Finance course as part of the Master of City Planning program at the University of New South Wales. Rukshan was also named as the Australian Young Planner of the Year in 2019.
Rukshan has a Bachelor of Environmental Studies (Honours Planning) and a Master of Economic Development and Innovation from the University of Waterloo in Ontario, Canada.
Rukshan was elected as the NSW National Board Director for PIA in November 2023. In 2024 he became the Chair of the National Education Committee.
Board Committees
Rukshan sits on the following Board committees:
Location: NSW
Role: Vice-President