Media Marketer Thushara Perera at the helm as new SLIM President

Thushara Perera, Director Sales & Marketing at TV Derana was last Thursday night (31 March 2011) inducted as the new President of the Sri Lanka Institute of Marketing (SLIM) for 2011/2012.

Perera is one of the most qualified professionals in the media industry in Sri Lanka, holding a Post Graduate Diploma in Marketing from the Chartered Institute of Marketing, UK and an MBA from the University of Sri Jayawardanapura (Post Graduate Institute of Management). He has also obtained Certified Professional Marketer status from the Asian Marketing Federation and is a Practicing Marketer (SLIM).

Briefly outlining his plans for his Presidency, Perera said, “I believe in a united SLIM where every marketer be it a SLIM diplomate or CIM diplomate or a marketer with any other qualification is assured of equality. My vision is to make SLIM No One from among all institutes in Sri Lanka. My strategy towards achieving this objective is to build the image of the institute through strategic PR, events and affiliations, while consolidating on the work already done in the field of education and to use it as a propeller. 

“My team consists of individuals who are versatile and experienced as well as fresh blood. That provides the right balance for a sound team. I believe impossible is nothing and that’s my theme for this year”, Perera added.

Under his leadership as Vice President last year, the SLIM Projects Division launched many successful programmes and initiatives including the Tourism Seminar, CEOs forum with John Buchanan, Consumer insights forum etc alongside SLIM’s many programmes such as Brand Excellence, Effies, SLIM Nielson Peoples Awards etc.  

Perera began his career in the advertising industry in Client Servicing at Thompson Associates Pvt Ltd and then shifted to Sales & Marketing by joining Swarnawahini at its inception. He progressed in the area of Media Marketing and Media Sales Management at Swarnawahini, and was part of the launch team at TV Derana where he has served as Director Marketing & Sales since. 

 

Contributing towards knowledge-sharing within the marketing industry, he has served Sri Lanka Institute of Marketing (SLM) as a Lecturer in Promotional Practice and Behavioural Aspects of Marketing. He joined the Executive Committee of SLIM in 2005 and has served on many project committees of SLIM. He chaired the NASCO 2005 and was co-chair of the Inaugural EFFIES Advertising Awards. 

Perera was invited to be a judge in HSBC JCI TOYP 2006 Awards and chosen to represent SLIM at the World Brand Congress 2009 held in Mumbai, India. He was also a judge in the National Sales Congress 2009 and was invited to be a member of the Advisory Council of the World Brand Congress 2010.