Tilan becomes youngest SLIM President

Tilan Wijeyesekera was inducted as the new President of the Sri Lanka Institute of Marketing(SLIM) for the year 2012/13 at the AGM concluded last week.

The event took place at the Cinnamon Lakeside hotel amidst a gathering of some of the nation’s best marketing professionals.

Wijeyesekera at the age of 34 becomes the youngest President of SLIM in its long history of over four decades. His illustrious career spans 15 years; 11 of them spent in middle and senior management positions of multinationals and leading Sri Lankan blue chip companies. Currently he serves as the Deputy General Manager – Marketing at Seylan Bank PLC, becoming one of the youngest corporate management level DGMs for any of the leading banks in Sri Lanka.

Renowned as a dynamic young professional marketer, Wijeyesekera will adopt a clear cut corporate governance policy for SLIM within the first six months of his tenure. One of the key features of his 12-month plan is his focus on areas of strategic importance to the nation in the fields of tourism marketing, public sector marketing, ‘Gamata’ marketing and more, as these will be the key drivers of economic prosperity as well as the forces of change for Sri Lanka as a nation.

In addition, he plans to take SLIM Brand Excellence into the international arena and he has also planned to take SLIM’s education division international through strategic tie ups in two regional countries.

“We are at yet another important juncture; a decisive point in our country’s history that calls for a path that will shape our country’s future. This is the point at which SLIM has to lead the charge to use marketing as the driver that adds value to people, brands, organisations and lives. I consider it a privilege to be in a position to steer this change,” he said.

A versatile marketer, Wijeyesekera, who began his career in finance and auditing, has a wide array of experience including strategic planning, corporate affairs, marketing and brand management, business development, project management, supply chain management and sales in varying industries including banking, FMCG, insurance and financial consultancy. He has also been responsible for many memorable brand launches and campaigns over the years, including case study brands such as the ‘Is there a Lion in You?’ campaign, many Elephant House campaigns, the famous Ninja mosquito coils launch campaigns, etc.

His other achievements include winning nine ‘Brand Icon’ and ‘Brand Excellence’ awards for the brands under his purview, especially in the financial services sector, including ‘Best Service Brand,’ ‘Most Innovative Service Brand,’ ‘Best Turnaround Brand,’ ‘Best Local Brand,’ ‘Best Food Brand,’ etc. and he has also won internal  awards at Reckitt Benckiser(Reckitt & Colman) and within the John Keells Group.

Wijeyesekera was the Vice President of the Sri Lanka Institute of Marketing for 2010/11 and 2011/12 preceded by his selection as Chairman of the Effies Awards 2009 in Sri Lanka. He was also an Honorary Treasurer and Council Member for SLIM for 2010/11.

He has also been a member of various other bodies including the Chillies steering committee, council of education member, judging moderator, etc., serving the marketing fraternity of Sri Lanka in many capacities over the years and has also been a senior lecturer in marketing for many years, producing many successful marketers and award winners.

The Sri Lanka Institute of Marketing as the national body of marketing in Sri Lanka has promoted excellence in marketing since its inception in 1970, subsequently incorporated by an Act of Parliament in 1980. Since its origin, SLIM has encouraged and contributed to elevate the status of marketing in Sri Lanka. SLIM holds membership of the Federation of Chambers of Commerce and Industry of Sri Lanka and ESOMAR, the Federation of Marketing Research Industries, the Organisation of Professional Associations, etc.

SLIM is internationally associated with the Asia Marketing Federation and affiliated to the World Marketing Association. SLIM is also in the process of finalising an MOU with the American Marketing Association.