The Galle Face Hotel appoints Nalaka Dissanayake as a Cluster Director of HR

South Asia’s leading grand dame, the Galle Face Hotel is testimony to the colonial past and Sri Lanka’s independent present. Celebrated within the hospitality world, and being the oldest hotel East of Suez, it is a property that had the world’s longest serving doorman, Kottarapattu Chattu Kuttan, who served at the hotel from 1942 until 2014. 

Nalaka Dissanayake

Carrying forward its value, integrity and authenticity in the expansion of its heritage and culture, the main component that maintains the essence of Hospitality is the people. In continuous notion of development and embracing international hospitality standards, The Galle Face Hotel Group Ceylon Hotels Corporation (CHC), Rest Houses and Food Business Segments appointed Nalaka Dissanayake as a Cluster Director of Human Resources on 2 January.

Nalaka will be overseeing the human resources, learning and development functions as well as talent acquisition for all levels whilst initiating leadership programs in order for the Galle Face Hotel and Ceylon Hotel Corporation to achieve an identity such as the most preferred employee brand in the country. 

With a strong influence by his father, Nalaka was always involved and engaged in the hospitality sector, it was almost as if the passion ran in his blood. He was exposed to different cultures when he worked in different parts of the world in the last decade. 

Prior to getting in to the industry Nalaka acquired a degree from the University of Bangalore in India where he majored in management with a 1st in class and studied with a merit-based scholarship provided by university grant commission and Indian High Commission in Sri Lanka, later he completed his MBA in a leading American based business school in Colombo.  

Nalaka  has worked in the hospitality industry for over a decade as a Director of Human Resources in the United Arab Emirates (Dubai/Abu Dhabi/Fujairah), Maldives and Oman with companies like Soneva Resorts -Maldives (Area Director of Human Resources), Radisson Blu Hotels & Resorts – United Arab Emirates (Director of Human Resources), Millennium and Copthorne – United Arab Emirates (Director of Human Resources) and also with the leading Emirati Hospitality group Habtoor Hotels as a Manager of Human Resources.

With all the expertise he has gained over the years he is back in Sri Lanka to contribute with a wealth of knowledge. The changes that Nalaka brings predominantly revolve around unique learning cultures and learning practices; he plans to adapt these by creating modules for team members to learn and improve from. He believes in creating leaders for the tourism and hospitality industry as a whole. There will also be a plan to incorporate women empowerment and employment initiatives to communicate on how women contribute immensely to this industry. 

Nalaka looks forward to breaking the norms but keeping in line with Sanjeev Gardiner’s (Chairman and Owner of The Galle Face Hotel Group) vision for these properties; to bring back traditions and ensure that the Sri Lankan youth get opportunities to be their best in the industry. In creating training and development programs as well as internship programs he has a positive approach in retaining and possibly bringing back Sri Lankan hospitality professionals living all around the world.