Imal Fonseka new IAA President

Well-respected marketer and business personality who started his career in advertising, Imal Fonseka, Director/General Manager, Sales and Marketing, Chevron Lubricants Lanka Ltd took on the mantle of President of the Sri Lankan chapter of the International Advertising Association (IAA) as leading advertising professional Ranil de Silva Managing Director of Leo Burnett Solutions Inc completed his tenure as President of the institution.

During de Silva's two-year term as President of the IAA, the Association has grown to become an important champion of the marketing, advertising and media fraternity.

Along with the election of the new President, a new Board also took office at the IAA Annual General Meeting (AGM) on Thursday. The AGM was also followed by an address from Clive Haswell, Chief Executive Officer of Standard Chartered Bank. His talk on "The Role of An Industry Body in a Developing Environment", served as a worthy learning opportunity for the IAA members.

Along with Imal Fonseka's election as IAA President, a new Board of Directors was also installed for the 2007-2008 period.

The new IAA Board includes Immediate Past President Ranil de Silva; Vice President Sujan Wijewardene Director, Wijeya Newspapers, Vice President Renuka Marshall, Managing Director, TBWA/TALL, Secretary Rochelle de Silva, Director Brands, Personal Care, Hemas Marketing (Pte) Ltd, Treasurer Rohan Rajaratnam Chief Executive Officer, Minds FCB and Directors Surith Perera Director, Foods, Unilever Ceylon Ltd, Tarene Fernando, Senior Director Marketing, Colombo Communications Ltd, Sujeewa Samaraskera Director Operations, Grant McCann Erickson, Tharaka Ranwala Head of Marketing, Sampath Bank Limited and Laksiri Wickramage, Chairman, Derana TV, Power House Pvt Ltd.

The welcome address was delivered by Thayalan Bartlett, Chief Executive Officer, JWT, who reflected upon the renaissance in the IAA and the pivotal role their global body has played in Sri Lanka and would now need to continue to fulfil.

Immediate Past President, Ranil de Silva, made a presentation on the role that the IAA had played on behalf of the marketing, advertising and media fraternity during his term.

He also spoke on the IAA's focus on its core competencies to fulfil its mission in Sri Lanka.

These competencies which are categorised as initiatives in Education, in Credibility building, in Commitment and as a Clearing House for the industry was the driving force of the programs executed during his tenure.

De Silva also spoke on his team's successes in achieving the goals he had set from the beginning of his tenure, when he outlined primary areas of concern such as increasing local membership in the organisation, gaining credibility for the Sri Lankan advertising industry and improved relationships with international bodies through increased participation.