Friday Sep 05, 2025
Friday Sep 05, 2025
Tuesday, 2 September 2025 02:14 - - {{hitsCtrl.values.hits}}
Neela Marikkar (right) receives her award from Labour Minister Professor Anil Jayantha Fernando whilst SLBC Chairman Professor Uditha Gayashan looks on
Neela Marikkar, a trailblazing Sri Lankan business leader known for her brilliant advertising prowess and peace activism was honoured as a “Sri Lanka Iconic Woman 2025,” at a national awards ceremony held at the BMICH in celebration of the Sri Lanka Broadcasting Corporation (SLBC) 100-year legacy in broadcasting. The event was organised by TOP C Magazine of Action Media Solutions.
This landmark occasion honoured 100 outstanding Sri Lankan women who have made significant contributions to the growth and excellence of the country. In particular, the aim is to recognise the increasing number of women championing female entrepreneurship, acknowledging their vital role in workforce participation and their impactful contributions to economic growth through female-led businesses.
Marikkar serves as the Chairperson and Managing Director of Dentsu Grant Group a leading advertising and communications company in Sri Lanka a part of the global network of Dentsu Interntional. Under her leadership, the company aggressively expanded its digital and technology capabilities, achieving strong business growth earning recognition as one of the most awarded and integrated marketing communications companies in the country servicing leading multinational and local blue-chip companies. In addition, she has led several high-impact campaigns for social mobilisation raising awareness against the abuse of women, HIV aids, children’s health and nutrition, support for war veterans, advocating for clean energy for a sustainable future.
In her personal capacity, Neela has been a prominent social activist, and led Sri Lanka First, a group of corporate leaders who came together for post conflict reconstruction. She served as a UNDP consultant for its Invest-in-Peace initiative, collaborating across regions to promote economic reconstruction. She led a business delegation to South Africa to study post-conflict reconstruction efforts by the South African business community, engaging with leaders like President Cyril Ramaphosa and Rolf Meyer. As a member of Women Waging Peace, she has been a speaker at the Harvard Kennedy School of Government on women’s role in peacebuilding. She also participated in The Table of Free Voices in Berlin, a major global dialogue initiative involving 112 cultural thinkers and activists. She has spoken at numerous international platforms including the European Commission, Woodrow Wilson Center, The Hague, and others.
She was awarded “Outstanding Women Leadership Achievement Award,” by the World Women Leadership Congress for her contributions to business and social advocacy and honoured as one of the Top Fifty Women Leaders in her field in Asia and recognised among the 50 Most Powerful Women in Sri Lanka. She has held leadership roles such as President of 4A’s Sri Lanka and Charter President of the International Advertising Association (IAA) and currently serves on the Board of the American Chamber of Commerce and the Executive Committee of the Sri Lanka Japan Business Council.
Neela Marikkar stands out as a dynamic leader who bridges corporate innovation with social transformation—an inspiring model of purposeful leadership in Sri Lanka and beyond.
