Advisory Board
Professor Gunapala Nanayakkara – Chair – Academic Advisory Board
BPA Spcl. (vidya), MPA (York), Ph.D. (Carleton), D.Lit. (Sab.)
Professor Gunapala Nanayakkara one of the most respected Professors in the Country. He was the Director General of the National Institute of Education and the Academic Advisor for the Graduate School of Management and the Academic study Center of Open University Malaysia in Colombo.
He was the Founder Director and Senior Professor of Management Studies, Postgraduate Institute of Management. University of Sri Jayewardenepura, Sri Lanka who pioneered Advanced Management Education in Sri Lanka by Setting up the first MBA Degree program in the Country in 1981. He went on to establish the Postgraduate institute of Management in 1986.in addition, He served as the Vice-Chairman University Grants Commission. 2006-2008 as well lacking the initiative to set up the PIM International Center in the Emirates (2007). Serving as Managing Director of the Center from 2007-2009. Currently PIM has Produced over 3,00 MBAs and 340 Postgraduate Diploma Graduates.
Prof. Nanayakkara holds BPA(Sp.) (vidya)1970, MPA(York)1976, Ph.D. (Carlton)1980, D.Lit. (Sab)2005. His Key Academic Areas of Expertise are: Human Resources Management, Strategic Management, Research Methods, and Management Communication. Teaching at undergraduates, graduate, executive and doctoral level in Sri Lanka since 1980. Professor Nanayakkara has unparalleled experience in Professional Management training. His international experience includes teaching at the institute of international Development and Cooperation. University of Ottawa (Sept. Dec 1982): Whitmore School of Business. University of New Hampshire and the post of Associate Professor of HR Management. Faculty of Administration. University of New Brunswick, Canada.
Prof. Nanayakkara has served as Governing Council member in a number of public organizations including Sri Lanka Foundation Institute, National Institute of Education. National Institute of Technology Education and National Institute of Business Management: Vice President of Association of Management Development Institutions in South Asia (AMDISA) and served as CEO of Sussex College Network under the Merchant Bank of Sri Lanka (2009-10).
Professor Gunapala Nanayakkara – Chair – Academic Advisory Board
BPA Spcl. (vidya), MPA (York), Ph.D. (Carleton), D.Lit. (Sab.)
Professor Gunapala Nanayakkara one of the most respected Professors in the Country. He was the Director General of the National Institute of Education and the Academic Advisor for the Graduate School of Management and the Academic study Center of Open University Malaysia in Colombo.
He was the Founder Director and Senior Professor of Management Studies, Postgraduate Institute of Management. University of Sri Jayewardenepura, Sri Lanka who pioneered Advanced Management Education in Sri Lanka by Setting up the first MBA Degree program in the Country in 1981. He went on to establish the Postgraduate institute of Management in 1986.in addition, He served as the Vice-Chairman University Grants Commission. 2006-2008 as well lacking the initiative to set up the PIM International Center in the Emirates (2007). Serving as Managing Director of the Center from 2007-2009. Currently PIM has Produced over 3,00 MBAs and 340 Postgraduate Diploma Graduates.
Prof. Nanayakkara holds BPA(Sp.) (vidya)1970, MPA(York)1976, Ph.D. (Carlton)1980, D.Lit. (Sab)2005. His Key Academic Areas of Expertise are: Human Resources Management, Strategic Management, Research Methods, and Management Communication. Teaching at undergraduates, graduate, executive and doctoral level in Sri Lanka since 1980. Professor Nanayakkara has unparalleled experience in Professional Management training. His international experience includes teaching at the institute of international Development and Cooperation. University of Ottawa (Sept. Dec 1982): Whitmore School of Business. University of New Hampshire and the post of Associate Professor of HR Management. Faculty of Administration. University of New Brunswick, Canada.
Prof. Nanayakkara has served as Governing Council member in a number of public organizations including Sri Lanka Foundation Institute, National Institute of Education. National Institute of Technology Education and National Institute of Business Management: Vice President of Association of Management Development Institutions in South Asia (AMDISA) and served as CEO of Sussex College Network under the Merchant Bank of Sri Lanka (2009-10).
Dr. Kingsley Bernard – (Advisory Board Member) (Chairman& CEO of Sri Lanka Export Development Board)
Dr Kingsley Bernard counts over 40 years of experience in the Corporate Sector in Sri Lanka. He has held senior and top management positions in organizations both in the public and private sectors including Unilever, Capital Maharaja Organization, Dankotuwa Porcelain PLC, Export Development Board, Sri Lanka Export Credit Insurance Corporation (SLECIC), Bimputh Finance PLC, PEPSI- Sri Lanka and SLIIT Campus.
He was an active member of the Trade Chambers in Sri Lanka and was the President of the National Chamber of Exporters for two consecutive years from 2004 to 2006. He also led the Joint Business Forum which was the umbrella organization for major trade chambers in Sri Lanka during 2005-2006. He was also the Vice President of the Exporter’s Association of Sri Lanka affiliated to the Ceylon Chamber of Commerce 1998/99 and the first President of Sri Lanka Ceramic Manufacturers and Exporters Association 1998/2000.He is currently a Member of Sri Lanka Economic Association, Life Member of JASTICA, and an Honorary Life Member of National Chamber of Exporters.
He is a veteran marketer and an academic specialized in management and marketing. He is a fellow member of the Sri Lanka Institute of Marketing (SLIM). He also has more than 25 years of experience as a Permanent/Visiting lecturer to several state universities and private higher education institutions in Sri Lanka.
He was also the Chairman of the Sri Lanka Council for Agricultural Research Policy (SLCARP), a Board Member of the National Institute for Social Development (NISD) from 2019 to 2020 and District Governor Lions Clubs International District 306B2 during 2009-2010.He is the incumbent Chairman of District Lions Leadership Institute 306B2.
He is a Doctor of Philosophy (PhD in Business Management) from the Management and Science University (MSU) of Malaysia. He also holds an MBA from the University of Colombo with a Gold Medal for Marketing Management, Post Graduate Diploma in International Marketing from Colorado State University – USA, Bachelor of Science Degree (Mathematics, Statistics and Computing) from the University of Jaffna and a Diploma in Computer Systems Design from CICC – Japan, among other qualifications. He has published many research articles in international journals and conducted training courses in international forums. International publishing company has published three books based on his research.
He is currently the Chairman and Chief Executive Officer of Sri Lanka Export Development, a Board Member of Sri Lanka Gem and Jewellery Authority and DHPL.
Dr. Rohan Abeywickrama (Advisory Board Member)
Dr. Rohan Abeywickrama commenced his university teaching career as a Lecturer in English in the Department of Languages at Sabaragamuwa University of Sri Lanka (SUSL) in 2004. He worked as the Head of the Department of English Languages Teaching (DELT), and the Department of Languages (DOL) at SUSL before he was appointed as the Dean of the Faculty of Social Sciences and Languages in 2023. He is likely to undertake research in the fields of Applied Linguistics, Issues & Developments in Methodology, Testing & Evaluation, Curriculum & Material Design, and Research Methods in ELT. He has published extensively in both local and international refereed journals, held many academic and administrative positions at the university, and contributed broadly at both national and international levels. His doctoral work at Deakin University in Australia that focused on professional development (PD) for university-level ESL teachers developed a special interest in him for PD, as PD has implications for all teachers in the education system.
Dr. Rajiv Perera (Advisory Board Member)
DBA(Croatia),MSc(Cardiff),MCIM(UK)
Dr. Rajiv Perera, a distinguished alumnus of Royal College, Colombo, boasts a rich professional background in the pharmaceutical and medical marketing domain spanning over two decades. He has garnered extensive expertise through engagements with multinational pharmaceutical companies such as Novartis- Sandoz GMBH, Sanofi Aventis, CSL Behring, OctaPharma AG, Cytosorbants Inc, and Reliance Life Sciences. Presently in the role of General Manager- Marketing at ABC Pharma, a prominent importer of biological and bio-similar pharmaceuticals in Sri Lanka, Dr. Perera’s profound industry insights have seamlessly transitioned into academia.
Formerly serving as a Visiting Lecturer at Cardiff Metropolitan University, UK (ICBT), Dr. Perera currently imparts his knowledge as a Visiting Lecturer and Master’s Thesis Supervisor at esteemed institutions including University of Gloucestershire, UK; Vern University, Croatia; and Brittany University, France. Holding a Master of Science degree in Marketing from Cardiff Metropolitan University, Cardiff, UK, with distinction, and a Doctor of Business Administration from Vern University, Croatia, also with distinction, Dr. Perera is additionally accredited with MCIM (UK) certification.
His scholarly pursuits encompass a diverse array of research interests, notably spanning Marketing, Emotional Intelligence, Psychology, Consumer Behaviour, and Neuro-Marketing constructs. Dr. Perera has contributed significantly to the academic landscape through numerous publications in esteemed indexed journals and collaborative works reflecting his scholarly commitment and prowess.
As a certified ISO auditor by the Sri Lanka Standards Institution (SLSI), Dr. Perera possesses specialized proficiency in business process management and systems. He has lent his leadership to various ISO certification processes and facilitated numerous Quality Assurance (QA), Good Distribution Practice (GDP), and Pharmacovigilance-related local and international audits. Furthermore, Dr. Perera extends his expertise as a member of the academic advisory board at AIBT Campus, enriching the educational discourse with his strategic insights and industry acumen.
