Chanaka Nanayakkara
Member
Chanaka Nanayakkara
Profile
- Business professional with over 20 years of experience
- Data driven and hands on approach having traveled to over 20 countries for business development
- Managed the sales, marketing, purchasing, financial funding activities in a fast paced, high pressured, deadline-driven corporate environment
- Solid analytical, problem solving and communication skills with technical knowledge
- Responsible for the hiring, training and supervising of staff on a daily basis
- A history of establishing and maintaining positive rapport with vendors, clients and employees from different internal departments
- Skillful at negotiating and resolving conflicts
- Highly experienced in planning, organizing, directing, controlling and evaluating
- Skilled in Microsoft Excel, Word, PowerPoint, and Outlook
Professional Experience
Global Trade Finance Representative, promoted to Global Trade Finance Supervisor and currently Global Trade Finance Manager
Pacific Port Development Group, Richmond BC, Canada 2009 – to date
- Introducing potential equity partners for real estate development projects.
- Negotiating financing terms and profit sharing for projects.
- Updating the investors on project progress.
- Working with overseas buyers to sell completed real estate properties
Production Coordinator
Summit Apparel Inc., New York, USA 2006 – 2008
- Co-ordinated clothing manufacturing and purchasing domestically in US and from the Orient.
- Developed highly effective plans and controlling techniques to increase the on time delivery performance of clothing orders
- Reduced costs by introducing reliable sourcing and purchasing options from Asia
General Manager
Aeon Irawan Company Ltd, Bangkok, Thailand 2004 – 2005
- Independently managed sales, purchasing, production, planning, quality assurance, industrial engineering and human resource departments.
- Directly responsible for managing 10 Managers and 400 workers
- Increased sales turnover by introducing new clients
General Manager
Nan Yang Fabric Co., Ltd, Colombo Sri Lanka 2002 – 2003
- Set up fabric sales operation in Sri Lanka for one of the largest textile groups of Thailand
- Managed the sales, accounting, importing of fabric from Thailand
- Traveled overseas to negotiate orders
Sales Manager
Ocean Lanka (Pvt) Ltd, Biyagama Sri Lanka 1999 – 2001
- Responsible for managing complex accounts of joint venture partners Mast Industries and Hirdaramani Group
- Managed a team of merchandisers on a daily basis
- Co-ordinated with different internal production teams and departments to ensure quality standard of the customers are met for each and every order.
Assistant Merchandising Manager
Jeweltex (Pvt) Ltd, Colombo Sri Lanka 1996 – 1998
- I was trained in Hong Kong and China to introduce Abercrombie and Fitch cut and sew tee shirt production to Maldives and Sri Lanka
- Managed each and every order with time and action calendars and updated the buying teams in Hong King and Columbus, USA
- Traveled overseas to negotiate orders
Field Sales Executive
Coats Tootal Lanka (Pvt) Ltd, Colombo Sri Lanka 1994 – 1995
- Responsible for managing Katunayake Export zone customers
- I was the best sales executive in 1995
Merchandiser
Unichela (Pvt) Ltd, Ratmalana Sri Lanka 1992 – 1993
- I was trained in all aspects of the garment industry
- Managed sales, purchasing of fabric and accessories and monitored the orders from order placement to shipment and delivery to customers in US, Canada and Europe
- Communicated with overseas sellers and buyers on daily basis
Education
- Post Graduate Diploma in Marketing from Chartered Institute of Marketing (UK) and a Chartered Marketer of CIM (UK) – 1996
- Post Graduate Diploma in Management from Post Graduate Institute of Management, University of Sri Jayawardenapura (Sri Lanka) – 2001
- Professional Member of The Canadian Institute of Marketing – 2008
- Studied at Trinity College, Kandy from 1978 to 1992
- Head Prefect of Trinity College, Kandy 1991 Term III and 1992 Term I
- I was President of many associations and societies at Trinity College, Kandy
- I played Basketball (all age groups) for Trinity and we were U19 All Island Division I Champions in 1991 and 1992 and toured Malaysia and Singapore.
- I have represented my house at Rugby Football, Cricket, Hockey and Athletics
Professional Development
Merchandise tracking software training – Bangkok Thailand – 2002
Technical training of weft knitted fabric & sales – Leicester UK – 2001
Plan and control training in clothing production orders – Columbus Ohio – 1998
Neuro-Linguistic program training (Mastery of Self) – Colombo Sri Lanka – 1997
