Asitha Samaraweera

Asitha Samaraweera currently is the Managing Director of Atlas Axillia Co Ltd., a Hemas Holdings group company. Atlas Axillia Co Ltd is one of Sri Lanka’s most respected local brands and is a market leader in school stationery and notebooks, pens, pencils and colour products, with products retailed in over 70,000 outlets across Sri Lanka.

Before his current role he counts over 12 years’ experience in leading FMCG businesses both in Sri Lanka and overseas. Asitha was the CEO of CBL Cocos (Pvt) Ltd., and CBL Global Foods, both subsidiaries of Ceylon Biscuits Limited before joining Atlas Axilla. The company was a leading player in the coconut products industry with a substantial export interest.

Prior to his role at CBL, Asitha headed IFFCO (Frozen Foods) and GFI – leading Dubai-based FMCG companies for six years. The two companies are leading processed meat and frozen bakery product manufactures in the Middle East.

Prior to his stint in the middle east he served as CEO of Keells Food Products and Vice President at John Keells Holdings PLC. Keells food Products PLC is the leading processed food manufacturer and marketer in Sri Lanka.

Asitha began his career with Nestle joining as a management training and rising in the ranks in the marketing arena. In his career in marketing he was involved in many successful campaigns which included the Nestomalt’s defeat of Powermalt which is now a well know case study.

He has a background in Marketing with an MSc in International Accounting and Finance, London School of Economics one of the leading universities in the world. He also has a BSc in Business Administration, Washington University, St Louis, MO, USA. His Schooling was at St Thomas College, Mount Lavinia.