Dr.
Dilesha Perera is the Co-Founder and Chairperson of La Vivente
(Pvt) Ltd. and Dilchand (Pvt) Ltd., a leading Sri Lankan fashion and
lifestyle brand.
She has
received numerous prestigious local and international accolades in recognition
of her outstanding leadership, entrepreneurship, and marketing excellence. In
2022, she was honoured as "Asia's Top Outstanding Women Marketeer of
the Year" by the Asian Marketing Federation (AMF), becoming the first
Sri Lankan woman to receive this distinguished recognition.
In 2023,
she was named one of the Most Admired Marketing Leaders by the World
Marketing Congress, held in Mumbai, India. In the same year, she was awarded
the Best Entrepreneur of South Asia (SME Category) at the South Asian
Partnership Summit and Business Excellence Awards, held on 30 November 2023 in
Malé, Maldives.
Her
remarkable achievements continued in 2024 when she emerged as the Overall
Winner at the Prathibhabhisheka Women Entrepreneurs Awards 2024,
organized by the Women's Chamber of Industry and Commerce (WCIC). At the same
event, she received four prestigious awards:
In June
2025, Dr. Perera was honoured with the Global CEO Top Businesswomen 2025
award by the Global CEO Forum. She was also recognized as one of Sri Lanka's
Iconic Women 2025, jointly organized by the Sri Lanka Broadcasting
Corporation (SLBC) and Top C Magazine, celebrating 100 outstanding female
leaders across Sri Lanka.
Under her
visionary leadership, La Vivente has earned several prestigious corporate
accolades. These include the Gold Award for Best Local Brand (SME Category)
and the Bronze Award for Best New Entrant Brand at the SLIM Brand
Excellence Awards 2021. The company also received the Gold Award for
Best SME Website of the Year at the BestWeb.lk Awards 2022, the Silver
Award for Best Fashion and Lifestyle Website at the BestWeb.lk Awards
2023, and the Silver Award for Management Excellence in the Retail
Sector at the National Management Excellence Awards 2025.
Dr.
Perera began her professional career in banking in 1998 at Standard Chartered
Bank before joining DFCC Vardhana Bank as a Management Trainee. During her
banking career, she consistently excelled and received numerous recognitions
for her performance. In 2005, she joined HSBC as a Sales Manager, where she was
recognized as the Best Sales Manager for two consecutive years in 2006
and 2007. In 2008, she was headhunted by Standard Chartered Bank and appointed
as a Senior Manager, where she was identified as a high-potential leader.
She has
participated in numerous local and international executive development
programmes covering leadership, strategic management, negotiation, coaching,
performance management, motivation, communication, and other management
disciplines. These experiences have further strengthened her leadership
capabilities and strategic vision.
Dr.
Perera brings over 17 years of corporate banking experience spanning Marketing,
Sales Management, Branding, Product Development, Branch Banking (Sales and
Operations), and SME Financing.
She holds
a Doctor of Business Administration (DBA) in Marketing from the University
of Kelaniya. Her research interests include consumer behaviour, branding,
and small and medium enterprises (SMEs). She also holds a Master of Business
Administration (MBA) in Finance from the University of Kelaniya and a Bachelor
of Commerce (Special) in International Trade from the University of Sri
Jayewardenepura.
Dr.
Perera is a Member of the Chartered Institute of Marketing (CIM), United
Kingdom, and an Associate Member of the Institute of Bankers of Sri
Lanka.
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