Dilshara Jayamanna has built and nurtured some of the country’s premier brands across industries, including FMCG, telecom, banking, insurance, FinTech, food and beverage, hospitality, and automobiles besides a host of others.
Dilshara, who graduated from Ananda College, Colombo, and West Thames College, London, began his career in the creative industry at Young Asia Television in 2000. In 2006, he joined MullenLowe, then Lowe LDB, as Creative Group Head under legendary founder Lilamani Dias Benson. Dilshara, who thrived under Lilamani’s mentorship, rose to Senior Vice President and Executive Creative Director before taking over the current position with effect from 1 September.
Over the years, Dilshara played a crucial role in MullenLowe Sri Lanka’s emergence as the top player of creative effectiveness in the market. Most recently, MullenLowe became the first and only agency office from Sri Lanka to be listed on the Effie Index’s Top 10 Most Effective Agencies of 2020 in the Asia Pacific region, clocking in at No. 9 in APAC and No. 36 globally.
Referring to Dilshara’s appointment, Thayalan Bartlett, Chief Executive Officer, MullenLowe Group Sri Lanka, said, “I am extremely delighted to appoint Dilshara as MullenLowe Group’s Chief Creative Officer, a position he has earned by producing consistently outstanding work and for giving the agency the creative supremacy it is recognised for in the industry. He is a relentless pursuer of high standards and perfection. His appointment makes him one of the youngest C-Suite level creative leaders before the age of 40 which speaks volumes for his capacity and tenacity. With this appointment I have no doubt that Dilshara will reset the bar for creative standards.”
Dilshara will also report to Amer Jaleel, Group Chairman and Chief Creative Officer, MullenLowe Lintas Group, India. “Our teams in Sri Lanka have continued to create outstanding work that nurtures brand love and delivers business results. The innumerable awards and accolades they have accumulated over the years are a testament to this. Leading the charge on the agency’s creative product, Dilshara has been instrumental in driving its stellar rise in the market. It gives me great pleasure to see him take on the role of CCO,” said Amer.
When asked about his thoughts on taking over the new role, Dilshara said: “Creativity is in a state of flux all over the world. New, exciting methods of serving up creative ideas are emerging with exhilarating regularity. As a big fan of change, this is both a challenging as well as exciting time to take on this role. I look forward to harnessing these newer facets of creativity to generate greater returns for our clients and continue the MullenLowe Group’s legacy of creating Sri Lanka’s best loved and most effective advertising.”
