Suranjith Swaris elected SLIM President for 2019/2020

Council and Executive Committee (2019/20). Seated from left: (front row) Pradeep Edward,  Lakshitha Wijesinghe,  Shaminda Perera,  

Roshan Fernando,  Suranjith Swaris, Thilanka Abeywardena, Enoch Perera,  Sanath Senanayake; (back row) Dr. Dilhan Jayatilleke ,  

Gayan Lakshan Perera,  Ahamed Aroos,  Charaka Perera,  Manthika Ranasinghe, Nuwan Thilakawardhana, Chinthaka Perera,  Upali Ranjith,  

Nuwan Gamage, Sathika Wickramasinghe

The Sri Lanka Institute of Marketing (SLIM) elected Suranjith Swaris as its 41st President for the year 2019/20, along with a new Council of Management and Executive Committee at its 49th Annual General Meeting, held on 29 March at the Galle Face Hotel.

The new Council of Management and the Executive Committee, spearheaded by President Suranjith Swaris, Business & Marketing Consultant and Director of CareBelle International, took over the responsibility from immediate Past President Pradeep Edward, CEO of Lanka Hospitals Diagnostics.

SLIM President Suranjith Swaris

Derana Power House Ltd. General Manager Roshan Fernando was elected as the Vice President (Education), and for the first time in SLIM history, a female personnel was elected as Vice President (Events): Thilanka Abeywardena, Marketing Manager of South East Asia New Markets at Microsoft Sri Lanka. The Secretary is Marketing Manager of Reckitt Benckiser Lanka Ltd. Shaminda Perera, while the Treasurer is Dialog Finance PLC Head of Digital Lending & Marketing Lakshitha Wijesinghe, and the role of Assistant Secretary will be held by Piramal Glass Ceylon PLC Senior Marketing Manager – Exports Enoch Perera. The strategic priority of the diversity of the new Executive Committee and their vast experience may lead the nation towards economic prosperity.

The Executive Committee also comprises ten experienced marketers: Manthika Ranasinghe, Managing Partner, Marketing Cubez – consultancy; Nuwan Gamage, Head of International Markets of Dreamron Group of Companies Ltd.; Sathika Wickramasinghe, Category Manager Insights & Velocity at Fonterra Brands Lanka; Chinthaka Perera, General Manager - Sales at Hemas Pharmaceuticals Ltd. and Hemas Surgical and Diagnostics Ltd.; Upali Ranjith, Media and Marketing Consultant at Chamber of Construction Industry; Gayan Lakshan Perera, Senior Brand Manager at Singer Sri Lanka; Dr. Dilhan Jayatilleke, Head of Business Development & Marketing at Digital Health Limited; Ahamed Aroos, Chief Operating Officer at Rainco Limited; Charaka Perera, CEO at Laugfs Salt & Chemicals/Laugfs Holdings Ltd.; and Nuwan Thilakawardhana, Assistant Brand Manager at Union Bank.Suranjith Swaris is an alumni of Thurstan College Colombo, who currently serves as the Business & Marketing Consultant for Bellose Lanka Ltd., Bluetown Real Estate Company Ltd., Ogabo Global Parfumerie Ltd., and as Director of CareBelle International Ltd. 

Prior to this he was the General Manager - Sales at Lalan Engineering Ltd. and has over 20 years of multi-disciplinary experience in the fields of quality assurance, manufacturing, sales & marketing, business and market development in the textile & apparel industry with Coats Thread Lanka Ltd., the world’s leading industrial thread manufacturer. 

Swaris is a Certified Professional and Practicing Marketer, having completed professional qualifications including an MBA from Buckinghamshire New University (UK), Post Graduate Diploma in Project Management from Cardiff Metropolitan University (UK), Post Graduate Diploma in Marketing (Sri Lanka), Certificate in Brand Management, Diploma in Business Management and a Certified Management Accountant (CMA-Australia).

Apart from his work experiences, Swaris is an active member of SLIM and has served in the capacity of Vice President prior to his current position. Also he has held the positions of Secretary, Asst. Secretary, Treasure and Exco Member at SLIM. He has contributed immensely to nurture the Sales & Marketing profession in order to enhance the value of Sri Lankan marketers, by heading several national projects such as Project Chairman of SLIM Brand Excellence, SLIM NASCO, SLIM Peoples Awards, and SLIM Gamata Marketing. 

He was actively engaged with the Export Development Board of Sri Lanka as a member of the evaluation committee of EDB Market Development Assistant (MDA) scheme, a member of the ‘Think Tank’ of the ‘Brand Sri Lanka project’, and a member of the steering committee of ‘Development of Brand Proposition for Sri Lankan Spices’. At present, he is a serving member of the evaluation committee of EDB for ‘Erambuma Credit Scheme’, an implementation of National Budget Proposal 2018, to financially support business start-ups. 

Besides these, he is an adviser to the Junior Old Boys’ Union of Thurstan College, as well as being actively engaged with Rotary International. Swaris was the Past President of the Rotary Club of Mount Lavinia and was the Past Assistant Governor of the Rotary District 3220. He is among the visiting resource personnel for the department of Integrated Design, Faculty of Architecture at University of Moratuwa. 

Speaking at the AGM, SLIM President Suranjith Swaris stated, “I would like to thank the members for electing me as the President of SLIM for the year 2019/2020. With the solid foundation laid by the past Presidents, Council Members, the Executive Committee and the employees, SLIM has stood tall and strong leading the Marketing fraternity of Sri Lanka for the past 48 years.  As the institute steps into the 50th year, we are grateful to all those who have contributed in making SLIM the national body for Marketing in the country. The theme for the year 2019 is the ‘Year of Transformation’, which I believe is the need of the hour since we are stepping into the 50th year of existence as the National Body for Marketing in Sri Lanka. 

“I would also like to extend my gratitude to all the SLIM Past Presidents, SLIM Members, the Board of Study and Education Reforms Committee, the past and present Staff of the Institute, the Student Associations, the MBA Alumni, the Project Committees of SLIM, the Resource Personnel such as Lecturers and Trainers and many countless others who have given invaluable service to the development and progress of SLIM. With the blessings and support from all of you, I hope to take every opportunity to enhance the marketing fraternity of Sri Lanka and continue the legacy of SLIM.”  

SLIM has made its mark in the Marketing fraternity by creating professional marketers through its internationally recognized educational products and training programs. With the new Council of Management and the Executive Committee, SLIM continues its efforts in enhancing the marketing fraternity in the country, providing quality education to the future marketers of Sri Lanka and embark on the 49th year of excellence ‘The Year of Transformation’ in 2019.