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| Sunday, 1 December 2002 |
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| News Business Features Editorial
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Marketing success Obtaining a qualification in the chosen field and being practical are the pillars of success for Prasanna Perera, Business Development Manager Tetra Pak. Perera moved to the marketing field at a time it was unheard of, under the guidance of marketing guru Eardley Perera. "I have no regrets about selecting marketing as a career because it is no stereotype job; it poses new challenges everyday," he added. He was among the first 15 Sri Lankans to be qualified in Marketing, obtaining a Diploma from the Chartered Institute of Marketing (CIM), during an era when books and teachers on the subject were not available in the country. For the past 11 years, he has been involved in teaching and lectures at the Post Graduate Institute of Management, Institute of Personnel Management and the Institute of Chartered Accountants of Sri Lanka as well as for MBA programs conducted by the University of Leicester and University of Queensland. "I have the ability to teach. I also wanted to give back something from what I learnt," said Perera. He has taught about 3000-4000 students. "CEO of Caltex Lanka Kishu Gomes is one of my students," said a proud Perera. "The satisfaction one gains from teaching is immense and it doubles or trebles when a student you have taught comes and speaks to you, be it on the road or anywhere else." Of his marketing career, he said that he started at Levers as a product manager and was responsible for several brands such as Bic, Viva, Maltova, Cow and Gate and Brooke Bond tea. He then moved on to Singer as Product Manager and was responsible for the electronics and furniture ranges. He later joined Hemas as Senior Brand Manager for Lakme, Cheramy and Capri. "Here I got an opportunity to be trained at the Lakme Academy in India. I also did the spade work for the launch of Clogard before I left". He joined Keells Foods as its Marketing Manager and rose to the position of Marketing Director. In 1998 he joined Tetra Pak, the packaging solutions provider. Tetra Lavel was established in Sweden in 1952 as a family business and continues to be the same. Tetra Pak and Alfa Lavel Agri are its subsidiaries. Speaking of the packaging used by Tetra Pak, he said that it consists of six layers of paper and Alufoil and is never manually handled. "We do not use any preservatives for packing the contents. Instead, the Ultra Heat Treatment method is used." At present Lanka Milk Foods, Kotmale, Daily Milk, Nestle and Rich Life use this method, which can be used to pack anything other than carbonated soft drinks and spirits. Perera is a winner of the 'Marketer of the Year' Small Category Gold award presented by the CIM. He plans to establish a facility to manufacture packaging material in Sri Lanka for the benefit of the country. Among his plans for the future are continuing teaching to guide the young, completing his studies and contributing more to Mother Lanka and also establishing his own business some day. He is proud to be a Sri Lankan. "I do not want to be a second class citizen in other country when our country has everything we want," said Perera. |
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