CIMA inducts new Board with Dirk at the helm

By Devin Jayasundara

CIMA (The Chartered Institute of Management Accountants) Sri Lanka Division inducted its Board for the year 2012 at the Cinnamon Grand on 4 January.

Union Assurance PLC (UA) CEO Dirk Pereira was elected as CIMA Sri Lanka Board Chairman, whilst Reyaz Mihular – Partner – Head of Advisory Services of KPMG Ford Rhodes Thornton and Co. and, HNB PLC Managing Director/CEO Rajendra Theagarajah was appointed as Deputy and Vice Chairman respectively. Over 300 CIMA members attended and witnessed this event.

CIMA appointed its local Governance Board in 2010 to provide the strategic oversight on the delivery of CIMA’s corporate strategy to grow and service the student and members in Sri Lanka.

At the Induction Ceremony Dirk Pereira in his address implied the popular growth of CIMA as a highly sought after qualification in the corporate world.  “CIMA’s position in the market is as a next generation qualification.”

He also remarked on the high growth rate of the country and the role of CIMA. “There will be more grass roots opportunities as the country develops. The economic activity created in the grass roots level will drive the income to a totally different level in this country.  That is where CIMA needs to position itself in the future,” he pointed out.

In regard to the significance of CIMA in driving economic growth Pereira noted that “To make a positive difference and to expedite the development process, CIMA has given all of us the financial acumen, Strategic thinking, operational excellence and strong focus on ethics for this country to move forward.”

CIMA Sri Lanka Immediate Past Chairperson Shiromi Rajendra in highlighting the successes of 2011 pointed out that student enrolment reached an all time high of 4,000 whilst Sri Lanka’s pass rates were better than the UK.

Dirk Pereira is a fellow member of the Chartered Institute of Management Accountants UK and has over 15 years experience in the profession. He is a member of the Institute of Chartered Accountants of Sri Lanka and holds an MBA from the University of Sri Jayewardenepura.

Dirk previously served as Union Assurance’s General Manager, Finance and Planning and Deputy CEO. Prior to UA he was at Eagle Insurance and Ernst and Young.

He joined the CIMA Sri Lanka Board in 2010 and was appointed Deputy Chairman in 2011. He also served as Chairman of the Branding and Leadership Committees.                 

The other members of the Governance Board are: Shiromi Rajendra (Immediate Past Chairperson – CIMA Sri Lanka Board), Director/General Manager, Linea Aqua (Pvt) Ltd, Nilam Jayasinghe, Vice President – Finance, Planning and Treasury, NDB Bank, Vipula Gunatilleka, Chief Corporate Officer/Director, Aitken Spence, Kumar Jayasuriya, Chairman/ MD, Finlays Colombo, Manil Jayesinghe, Partner, Ernst and Young, Waruna Rajapakse, Executive Vice President, John Keells Holdings, Sriyani Ranatunga, Vice President, DFCC Bank, Nilanthi Sivapragasam, CFO, Aitken Spence, Malinga Arsakularatne, CFO, Hemas Holdings, Ravi Edirisinghe, Vice President, Freight Links International, Melanie Kanaka, Head, Finance and Administration – Sri Lanka and Maldives, World Bank, Manohari Abeyesekera, Manager – Strategic Business Development, Hayleys, Mahesha Amarasuriya, Relationship Manager – Corporate Banking, NDB Bank and Janaka Jayalath, Senior General Manager – Corporate Planning and Marketing, Mobitel (Pvt) Ltd.