Laksala CEO bags TOYP award

Laksala Director General/Chief Executive Officer Ali Ahlam Nawaz was selected as one of the Ten Outstanding Young Persons at an awards ceremony organised by the Junior Chamber International (JCI).

Ali won the TOYP award in the ‘Moral and Environmental Leadership’ category.

TOYP (Ten Outstanding Young Persons) programme in Sri Lanka is a National Project organised by the Junior Chamber International Sri Lanka which was originally conceived and developed by Durward Howes, President of the United States Junior Chamber in 1930. A past recipient of national Outstanding Young Persons was a late United States President John F Kennedy.

Presently as the Chief Executive Officer/Director General of Sri Lanka Handicrafts Board Under the Ministry of Industry and Commerce, Ali has shouldered and succeeded at chartering a better and sustainable connectivity amongst the three national bodies which form the partnership of the LAKSALA brand name (namely the Sri Lanka Handicraft Board, National Craft Council and the National Design Centre), responsible for uplifting the handicrafts industry of Sri Lanka and spearheaded LAKSALA, the State entity, to win the Industrial Excellence Award from SLCSMI this year during his tenure.

He belongs to the new generation of Sri Lankan corporate leaders who are challenging the status quo and leading businesses boldly in to the future. A dynamic and fearless leader, he specialises in transforming companies and people to face the times. 

His rapid growth in the corporate world can be attributed to his proven track record of 18 years in diverse markets such as the United Kingdom, Saudi Arabia, Dubai and Sri Lanka. He is a trailblazer across the corporate sector from NDB, Premium International and Alliance Finance, being a dynamic risk taker.

Ali is a product of Zahira College, Matale and Royal Institute Colombo. He is also a visiting lecturer at the University of Colombo and at several other private universities. 

Ali has worn many hats in retail banking and finance, gas and energy sector, fashion retail and healthcare technologies, providing strategic leadership and business development. He is the Founder of Lyons Consulting Ltd.