* Youthful Kishu *

Gracing our magazine cover, is the young and dynamic Kishu Gomes. Even though he might be ambitious in his own way, he knows when to attract anyone with his charm and grace.

He has made history by being the youngest Managing Director and Chief Executive Officer to head two US multinational companies operating in Sri Lanka, namely Caltex (now Chevron) Lubricants Lanka Limited and Caltex Ceylon Limited in 2001 at the age of 37 years. He also was appointed to the Asia Pacific Lubricants Leadership Team encompassing all countries within the region being the only Asian in the team.

Gomes started off as a young gun at the local bottlers' Coca-Cola and climbed up the ladder for 12 years with hard work and sheer determination. Joining this international beverage company at a time when the company was hardly known, he ensured 'Coke' was a household name in Sri Lanka with a 65 per cent share. In 1997, he joined Caltex as their National Sales Manager and soon managed to steer the company right through his valuable leadership.

Gomes holds a distinguished position at the Chartered Institute of Marketing (CIM), UK, Sri Lanka Branch and is also a lecturer and notable member of various associations and memberships.

He has just finished a prestigious Masters in Business Administration from the University of Leicester, his scholastic profile also boasts a Post Graduate Diploma in Marketing from the CIM, UK and Gomes has been an outstanding individual that he was also was recognised as one of the top marketers in Sri Lanka.

Nilma Dole