Before joining UNFPA, Ms. Pillai worked with Save the Children International as Global Policy, Advocacy, and Campaigns Director from 2020 to 2022, with Save the Children in India as Chief Executive Officer (2018 – 2020) and as Director of Programmes and Policy (2015 – 2018).
In a career spanning over two decades, she has also worked with the UK DFID in India as Head of Strategy, Results, and Communications; with UNODC and FAO in India on Programme Management and several civil society organizations.
At the start of her career, she worked in the Banking sector for two years.
Ms. Pillai brings significant experience in the social change and development sector, including leadership, strategy and programme management; advocacy, campaigns and communications; strategic partnerships and alliance building over the years, including as CEO of the largest child rights CSOs in India.
Having worked on various issues aligned with the SDGs across India, South Asia, and globally, she has gained a broad perspective of current development challenges and the need to address them in an integrated manner.
She is a passionate advocate for women and children's rights, quality education for all, gender equity, ending violence against women and children, and sexual and reproductive health rights for all.
Over the years, she has consistently demonstrated her ability to deliver results at scale, especially by working in partnership with the Government, communities themselves, and other key stakeholders such as the private sector and media, building collective ownership, leveraging their own resources and strengthening programmes and policies through technical assistance.
