Ravi Ranatunga, Ph.D.

Ravi Ranatunga, PhD, is a global innovation leader and analytical science executive who has spent more than 25 years helping organizations turn advanced measurement science into meaningful business results. Known for his ability to bridge deep technical expertise with strategic vision, he has guided R&D organizations through major capability transformations, multimillion‑dollar investment decisions, and complex innovation challenges across consumer goods, energy, and emerging technology sectors.

Ravi spent the majority of his career at Procter & Gamble, where he served as Director of Corporate R&D and led analytical capital strategy across 13 innovation centers worldwide. His work shaped the company’s global approach to measurement science—spanning surface science, microscopy, trace and elemental analysis, bioanalytical sciences, lab automation, and digital transformation. He built high‑performing scientific organizations and managed global communities of practice that supported more than 7,000 R&D scientists.

A natural connector and collaborator, Ravi has forged strategic partnerships with universities, national laboratories, vendors, and industry leaders to accelerate breakthrough innovation. He is widely recognized for helping organizations align sophisticated scientific capabilities with business priorities, ensuring that technical investments deliver measurable return on investment.

Ravi holds a PhD in Analytical Chemistry from the University of Houston where he developed novel methods and techniques for ultra‑trace analysis of organics in water and biological fluids, and stationary phases for isotope separation. He completed postdoctoral research at the University of Minnesota where he conducted fundamental research on retention/selectivity in liquid chromatography, stationary phases for inverse gas chromatography, and protein interactions. Before joining P&G, Ravi was a Research Chemist at Shell Oil Company supporting oil and gas operations, and a Senior Lecturer at the University of Peradeniya in Sri Lanka where he taught undergraduate and graduate courses in Chemistry and conducted research on water and air pollution. He was also a DAAD Scholar at the Institute for Chromatography in Bad Duerkheim, Germany, where he developed new injector systems for gas chromatography. His work has resulted in multiple patents and numerous peer‑reviewed publications.

Today, Ravi advises organizations seeking to strengthen their R&D strategy, build world‑class analytical capabilities, and unlock the full value of scientific innovation.