Financial Times

Top Sri Lankan in Australia to speak at CIMA Summit

Elmo de Alwis, CEO and managing director of Sigma Pharmaceuticals Pte Ltd, Australia, is one of the expert speakers lined up for this year’s CIMA Business Leaders’ Summit which will be held on 1 to 3 June at BMICH.

Consistently named as one of the Top 100 CEOs in Australia, Sri Lanka-born Mr de Alwis will present a paper titled “Unleash corporate potential – the role of the business leader”.

His paper will outline how the performance of businesses and organizations can be greatly improved by harnessing the potential of its people. By employing the right people, giving them the right environment to work in and – crucially – providing robust leadership, excellent results can be achieved.

Mr de Alwis is well placed to deliver this presentation. After qualifying as a CIMA member and becoming one of the first young finance professionals promoted to management ranks at Unilever in Sri Lanka, he migrated to Australia in 1975.

He joined Sigma Pharmaceuticals as a cost accountant in 1977 and quickly rose through the ranks to commercial manager, group management accountant and then to general manager.

In 2001 Mr de Alwis took on the role of CEO and managing director. Under his leadership Sigma’s market capitalisation has increased from A$160 million to just under A$3 billion through growth and acquisitions.

His business skills, foresight and negotiation expertise has recently resulted in a merger with Arrow Pharmaceuticals which has seen him take the helm of the largest vertically integrated pharmaceutical group in Australia.

Also president of the National Wholesalers Association, Mr de Alwis has been involved in the Australian government’s free trade negotiations with the United States in respect of pharmaceutical products and is a well-respected business commentator who has been featured in both print and broadcast media.

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