Shanthi Gunesekera and Janaki Mahadevan are co-CEOs of UK charity Birthrights, which seeks to protect and champion human rights through pregnancy and birth.
Prior to joining Birthrights in January 2023, they worked as a job share partnership at the Greater London Authority (GLA) where they led policies and programmes delivered under the Mayor of London’s Social Integration Strategy. This included efforts to address labour market inequality, increase active citizenship and democratic participation, strengthen relationships across London’s communities and support people newly arrived in the Capital and those with insecure immigration status to access their rights and thrive in London.
Before their job share at the GLA, Janaki was Head of Policy and Public Affairs at the London Borough of Newham and prior to that worked as a journalist on publications including Children & Young People Now. Shanthi led migration policy at the GLA under the previous Mayor, and prior to that worked at the London Borough of Enfield on programme and change management, and equalities.
