Expolanka CEO wins special achievement award at APEA 2013

Expolanka Holdings Group Chief Executive Officer and Director Hanif Yusoof, was awarded the prestigious special achievement award at the recently concluded Asia Pacific Entrepreneurship Awards (APEA) 2013, held at the Cinnamon Grand Hotel Colombo.

This award embarks as one of Yusoof’s greatest accomplishments as a person with a ‘dare to dream’ attitude and an ‘out of the box’ strategic outlook on each of his undertakings.

This award speaks for commitment, passion and hard work that put into in a journey that spans over three decades.

Yusoof said: “This award not only humbles me but it makes me a proud a part of Expolanka today. We as a family in all its entity claims this award and the recognition it bestows is beyond words.  “It is a privilege to work with some of the best in the business and together with a dynamic team of hardworking individuals our goals and dreams will keep continuing to grow.

“This award will further our platform to soar.” The prestigious APEA is a world-class awards program recognising and honouring business leaders who have shown outstanding performance and tenacity in developing successful businesses within the region. Organised by Enterprise Asia and supported by local governments and businesses, the awards aim to honour leading entrepreneurs across the region to spur greater innovation, fair practices and growth in entrepreneurship.

It hopes to be a platform to encourage continued leadership towards sustainable economic development for the region. Today, the awards have expanded to include Indonesia, Brunei, Singapore, Hong Kong, Vietnam, Thailand, China, India and now Sri Lanka. Yusoof is a past student of Royal College and a graduate of the Stanford/NUS International Management Program with over 30 years of senior management experience.

He is an eminent personality in freight and logistics management industry in the country who succeeded in creating a strong ‘brand image’ for Expolanka in Freight.

His expertise and ever willing approach has made him to serve in many national boards and panels where policy making was involved in the fields of trade, shipping and the airline industry.

Yusoof added: “This was only possible because I had the unstinted support of my board of directors,  

the tiring efforts of my 2,500 plus staff and of course our valued customers who have walked this journey with us side by side.”

Yusoof was also honoured with ‘the Outstanding Young Persons (TOYP) Award’ in 1998, for his exceptional entrepreneurial accomplishment by the Junior Chamber National Chapters in recognition of 10 individuals whose personal and professional achievements in a chosen field was exemplary, outstanding and nationally beneficial. Expolanka is a diversified conglomerate with interests in freight and logistics, travel and leisure,  international trading and manufacturing and strategic investments and services sectors, listed in the Colombo Stock Exchange with a global presence in 16 countries in Asia, Africa, Middle East and the USA.