Saturday, 28 December 2013 00:00
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Herbal cosmetics marketer 4ever Skin Naturals is expanding its business with the addition of two professionals.
The two professionals are Dilshard Perera, the Chief Operating Officer and Prasad Fernando the General Manager.
Shedding light on the rapid growth of the company Dilshard Perera – a renowned personality is the current COO of 4ever Skin Naturals. A product of De Mazenod College, a Graduate in Chemistry and being the first male recipient at the time to win a Gold Medal in 1991 for the Best Performance in Chemistry from the Institute of Chemistry, Ceylon and the Royal Society of Chemistry, UK.
Perera also holds a Post Graduate Diploma in Marketing (CIM) from the Chartered Institute of Marketing UK in 1997 and also holds a Diploma in Human Resources Management towards which he achieved the batch top and obtained a merit pass from IPM Sri Lanka in 2005. He has also achieved a Higher Diploma in Business and Finance Management again becoming the batch top and obtaining a merit pass from the University College of Aquinas.
Perera has come a long way indeed in his illustrious career, going down on memory lane ‘A Product Executive’ and laterally a ‘Product Manager’ at the outset of his career at CIC Ltd., related to the Department of Textile Dyes and Industrial Chemicals for six years and thereafter was attached to Multichemi International Ltd. as Country Manager for Bangladesh for a period of three years from 1998 onwards.
Subsequently on returning to Sri Lanka, he was attached to a leading detergent/cosmetics company and worked for a period of eight years as the Director/GM and thereby brought forth unparalleled success towards its prospective business.
A much sought after lecturer in many local universities and institutions; he is today a visiting lecturer at many academic institutes such as Institute of Personnel Management (IPM), Skills Development Fund Ltd. (SDFL) and Aquinas University College in relative professional courses covering areas of Management, HR and Marketing. Perera is also a Member of the Academic Board of the Institute of Chemistry from 2003 and is President of the Alumni of Institute of Chemistry Ceylon and an Ex-Co Member of the Ragama Cricket Club, the only Division 1 cricket playing club in the Gampaha District.
He will offer an impeccable service towards the organisation and its valued customers equally.
Prasad Fernando the General Manager of 4Ever Skin Naturals has had a lot to offer in terms of much improved standards of the company. Prasad who had his entire education at St. Anthony’s College, Kandy was an all round sportsmen who excelled in cricket, basketball, tennis and athletics and counts wealth of experience working with two of Sri Lanka’s multinational giants, Ceylon Tobacco Co. Ltd. and Unilever Sri Lanka for 31 years. With the vast experience and knowledge gained in the field of cosmetics and FMCG brands from his 27 year stint at Unilever Sri Lanka and several more years in addition to it in the arena of sales and the well diversified exposure he gained by handling various markets throughout Sri Lanka, and his training skills will no doubt benefit the company.
A designated ‘Bakery Advisor’ at the outset of his career, Fernando thus enabled the development of the baking trade sector as well as fast food outlets and a multiple range of products in the Central and North Central regions thus thereby successfully completing a Course in Baking Science & Technology conducted by US Wheat’s in Thailand.
He was instrumental in introducing the Unilever MPCS channel in 2005 and as Channel Manager brought fourth immense success to the organisation within a period of mere four years where he was able to grow the business by 300%.
Furthermore he was able to work closely with the Cooperative Ministry/Coop Dept./NICD Polgolla (Training Institute) & the MPCS Unions throughout Sri Lanka in developing the selling skills of MPCS Management and its employees and also improving customer care/range availability in Coop City outlets throughout Sri Lanka by conducting workshops and training programs.
Fernando, a much dignified motivator/leader in the area of sales has a reputation as a practical problem solver and is a much respected sales personality who maintains a good relationship with not only with internal stakeholders but also with outsiders mainly due to his pleasing qualities. His vast experience with USL and the exposure gained in financial management has supported him immensely in carrying out effective business modules in any business environment.