Hello, I'm Kiru!
With over ten years of experience in data science and software engineering, Kiru is a passionate and skilled leader who creates and executes data-driven solutions for business problems. He is currently the Manager of Data Science at Octave - JKH, the analytics arm of John Keells Holdings PLC, one of the largest conglomerates in Sri Lanka.
Kiru leads a dynamic team of over 20 data scientists, spearheading the development of cutting-edge analytics use-cases tailored for the retail and banking sectors. Beyond this, he serves as a consultant, assisting companies in shaping and implementing impactful data science initiatives.
Kiruparan Balachandran
Manager - Data Science @ John Keells Holdings PLC | Leading High-Impact Analytics Teams
+94 77 807 1389
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EXPERIENCE
July 2022-Present
Octave - John Keells Group
Manager - Data Science
1) He serves as a member of the management committee. In this role, he creates and executes strategic plans related to people, technology, and presence. He also tailors existing processes to create a better environment for delivering high-quality work.
2) Kiru anchors 18+ use-cases across two different domains, namely retail and banking.
3) He leads a team of 25+ data scientists, including lead data scientists, senior data scientists, data scientists, and associate data scientists.
4) He mentors analytics resources from different practices such as data engineering, platform engineering, and delivery.
Dec 2019- July 2022
Senior Data Scientist
Octave - John Keells Group
Kiru excels in delivering high-impact, revenue-generating use-cases, guided by McKinsey and Company's expertise. He efficiently manages multiple data science teams in the retail sector, overseeing end-to-end processes from problem scoping to commercializing business solutions. Additionally, Kiru collaborates with platform teams to implement customized MLOps processes, conducts training for senior executives and data professionals, and provides mentorship to data scientists and their associates, contributing significantly to organizational success and development.
Jan 2018-Dec 2019
Innovation Quotient Pvt Ltd
Head of Data Science
Aug 2014-Dec 2017
Salmat
Senior Software Engineer
Aug 2012-Aug 2014
Virtusa Pvt Ltd
Software Engineer
EDUCATION
2014-2016
Master's Degree
2008-2012
M.Sc in Computer Science in Data Science, Engineering and Analytics
B.Sc in IT (Hons)
Bachelor's Degree
TESTIMONIALS
Kiru also expands his career as an advisor and a trainer to companies and individuals interested in building data-driven solutions. He is currently directing a few teams by offering overall guidance on ongoing projects and advice on solution design and architecture. He has delivered both technical and non-technical training in data science and analytics delivery to C-level managers, business heads, and data scientists. Kiru's mission is to foster a data-driven culture and empower organizations and people to leverage data for better decision making and innovation.
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Thilina Randeniya
CTO at
Kiru’s ability to handle multiple projects simultaneously is a key plus and this made a dramatic increase when it comes Data Science capabilities in our company.
His methodical thinking, professionalism, experience, ability to research deep, and most importantly the urge to look beyond standard market tools to create own effective ways to produce results are so vital, especially in his field of Data Science.
Kiru not only delivers but also uplifts the team’s skill set as he constantly pushes and ensures his fellow team-mates sharpen their skills with each task they face.
I rarely come across talents who stand out like Kiru. He is fantastic and such a pleasure to work with.
Nilan Mihindukulasooriya
Founder of Mortar
Worked with Kiru for multiple months now and he has been a fantastic addition to our data team. He has practical knowledge on many subject areas. He is a great consultant and fantastic at managing teams.
COLLOABORATIONS
Guest Speaker / Lecturer
Guest lecture for the M.Sc students of the University of Moratuwa on Apache Spark.
Conference Reviewer
Guest lecture on big data and Apache Spark to the undergraduate students from the University of Moratuwa's Computer Science Engineering Department.
Present at Conference
Conference Location: Omaha, NE, USA
Conference Location: India
Advanced Analytics - Portfolio
Retail
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Alternative Portfolios
Shipping and Logistics
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I collaborate with Dr. Uthayasanker to provide hands-on experience to University of Moratuwa students.
I collaborate with Dr. Rajitha on developing high performance data science teams at Octave - John Keells Group.
I collaborate with Dr. Sumanaruban to experiment with various analytics platforms, evaluating their capabilities, time complexity, and cost to recommend business-suitable platforms.