25 August 2016 12:00 am
In an effort to strengthen the group’s dynamic expansion and consolidation programme with the industry’s outstanding young professionals joining the top management, George Steuart and Company Limited, one of the fastest expanding conglomerates in Sri Lanka, recently announced the appointment of Paddy Weerasekera as Chief Executive Officer (CEO) of the groups’ Consumer Sector.
Weerasekera brings a wealth of experience to the company from his previous roles and is a veteran marketing and communications specialist and counts over 24 years of experience in both local and multi-national companies. Prior to this assignment, he was attached to Expolanka Holdings PLC as a member of the Corporate Management team overlooking the groups marketing, corporate communications and sustainability activities.
He was instrumental in developing the group’s corporate positioning and the relaunch of key global brands such as Expo Freight (EFL), Akquasun, ACR, Baraka and Norfolk Crescent. He also served in the insurance industry as Head of Marketing at Janashakthi Insurance PLC and led the Brand Management, Customer Relationship Management, Research and Telemarketing teams.
He was also General Manager of the multinational communications agency- Bates Asia/141 (part of the global communications giant WPP Group) and served as a Board Director of the Urban Development Authority.
He is a fellow member of the Charted Institute of Marketing (FCIM UK), Certified Management Accountant (CMA Australia) and holds an MBA from the University of Wales (UK). He was a product of Royal College, Colombo and studied further at Stafford International.
He has served the marketing and communications industry over the years as a Board Director/Vice President 4A’s (Accredited Advertising Agencies Association) from 2006-2009, member of panel of judges for Effies Awards 2012/2013/2016, member of the Chillies Advertising Awards steering committee 2007/2008, member of the panel of judges for SLIM advertising awards (2004) and a visiting lecturer at the Academy of Design from 2006-2008.
He was bestowed with the Brand Leadership Award at the World Brand Congress in 2011, CMO Asia Award in 2012 and Asia’s Best Marketer Award in 2016 by the World Brand Congress.
His leadership and work has been rewarded with many awards over the years namely: World Brand Congress Awards, Asia Entrepreneurship Awards, ARC Awards (USA), LACP Awards (USA), Galaxy Awards (USA) as well as Brand Excellence Awards, National Business Excellence Awards, ACCA Awards, Sri Lanka Institute of Marketing Advertising Awards & Chillies.