NATHALIE GUNAWARDANA JOINS GALLE FACE HOTEL AS HEAD OF MARKETING & COMMUNICATIONS

Sri Lanka-based marketing leader Nathalie Gunawardana has been appointed Head of Marketing & Communications at Galle Face Hotel. With a career spanning global brand strategy, partnerships, and reputation management, she brings experience from Dilmah Tea and export promotion, alongside social-impact work introducing computing to orphanage children through #Include<Orph>.  

In a move that underscores its commitment to heritage, innovation, and global resonance, Galle Face Hotel has announced the appointment of Nathalie Gunawardana as its new Head of Marketing & Communications. The Colombo landmark, celebrated for its colonial grandeur and enduring place in Sri Lanka’s cultural fabric, welcomes a leader whose career has been defined by purpose-driven storytelling, brand stewardship, and a rare ability to bridge consumer engagement with commercial expansion.  

Gunawardana’s professional journey reflects both breadth and depth. Most recently, she served as Global Brand Manager at Dilmah Tea, where she played a pivotal role in shaping the company’s purpose-led positioning. Her work emphasised authenticity and quality, aligning the brand with collaborations that reinforced its reputation as a Sri Lankan original with international acclaim. In an era where consumers increasingly seek meaning behind the products they choose, Gunawardana’s approach ensured Dilmah’s narrative remained rooted in heritage while speaking to contemporary values of sustainability and integrity.  

Her earlier career adds further dimension. With experience in B2B international marketing and export growth within the organic agriculture, food, and nutraceutical supply chain sector, she developed a nuanced understanding of how Sri Lankan products could find footholds in competitive global markets. This was complemented by her work with the National Chamber of Exporters of Sri Lanka, where she contributed to trade promotion initiatives. The combination of consumer-facing storytelling and market-expansion strategy has given her a distinctive edge: the ability to craft narratives that resonate emotionally while simultaneously advancing commercial objectives.  

At Galle Face Hotel, this blend of skills is expected to prove invaluable. The institution, often described as the “Pride of Sri Lanka,” has long been a symbol of elegance and continuity, hosting dignitaries, celebrities, and generations of travellers. Yet in today’s hospitality landscape, heritage alone is not enough; hotels must continually reinvent their appeal, balancing tradition with modern expectations. Gunawardana’s appointment signals a recognition that marketing and communications are central to this balancing act. Her expertise in integrated campaigns, partnerships, and reputation management will be instrumental in ensuring the hotel’s story remains compelling both locally and internationally.  

Beyond her corporate achievements, Gunawardana’s leadership is distinguished by her commitment to social impact. She is the Co-Founder of #Include<Orph>, an initiative that introduces computing to orphanage children using open-source technologies. Supported by award-backed funding, the project reflects her belief in inclusion and empowerment through education. By equipping children with digital skills, the initiative not only opens pathways to opportunity but also underscores the role of technology as a leveller in society. For Gunawardana, professional success is inseparable from service, and her work demonstrates how marketing and communications can extend beyond commerce to foster long-term impact.  

Her arrival at Galle Face Hotel comes at a time when Sri Lanka’s hospitality sector is navigating both challenges and opportunities. The industry is recovering from global disruptions while seeking to attract new waves of travellers drawn to authenticity, culture, and experience. In this context, Gunawardana’s background in brand strategy and partnerships is particularly relevant. She has shown an ability to position Sri Lankan brands on the world stage, and her new role offers scope to elevate the hotel’s profile as not just a destination, but a living emblem of the country’s narrative.  

Colleagues describe her as detail-oriented yet imaginative, capable of weaving campaigns that are both strategic and emotionally resonant. Her track record suggests she will bring fresh energy to the hotel’s communications, ensuring its legacy is celebrated while its future is actively shaped. Whether through collaborations, digital engagement, or reputation-building, Gunawardana’s leadership is expected to reinforce Galle Face Hotel’s standing as a beacon of Sri Lankan hospitality.  

For the hotel, the appointment is more than a staffing decision; it is a statement of intent. By entrusting its marketing and communications to a professional whose career embodies both commercial acumen and social responsibility, Galle Face Hotel signals its ambition to remain relevant in a rapidly evolving world. For Gunawardana, it is an opportunity to apply her skills to an institution that mirrors her own values of heritage, authenticity, and impact.  

As she takes on the role, the resonance of her journey—from shaping global tea narratives to empowering orphanage children with technology—suggests that her tenure will be marked by both innovation and inclusion. In the interplay between tradition and modernity, commerce and community, Nathalie Gunawardana’s appointment represents a new chapter for Galle Face Hotel, one that promises to honour its past while embracing the possibilities of the future.