Thesara emerges as top worldwide CIM postgraduate student

Thesara Jayawardane, the New Zealand qualified engineer turned award winning actress has won another World Price for her academic achievements in marketing.

This award was presented to her for the outstanding Performance at the Postgraduate Diploma in Marketing conducted by the Chartered Institute of Marketing (UK). Out of the worldwide students who took part in the examinations and submitted thesis to the CIM UK, Thesara was identified as the World’s Top Student.  

Thesara was honored with this award at the Graduation ceremony held at Church House Conference Centre, Westminster, London UK on 10th of November 2012 by the Chairperson of CIM Andrew Harvey, Vice President of CIM Sally Cowdry and Chief Executive of CIM Anne Godfrey.

Thesara is a proud self study student who sat for most of the CIM Examinations from her home town at Auckland, New Zealand.  She is the 14th Chartered Marketer in New Zealand and had been a Member of CIM (UK) since 2010.

Since the final CIM submissions required a CIM-UK accredited study centre which New Zealand did not possess, Thesara arrived in Sri Lanka in 2011 and submitted her thesis via Sri Lanka Institute of Marketing (SLIM). The encouragement and consultation of Mr. Prasanna Perera, the senior academic of SLIM is fondly remembered by Thesara at this memorable juncture of her life.

Thesara Jayawardane is the daughter of Dr. Amara and Dr. Jayanthi Jayawardane, former lecturers of Moratuwa University. Former Visakhian left to New Zealand at a tender age and studied at Hillcrest High School and University of Auckland, New Zealand.

Thesara graduated with a BSc in Materials and Process Engineering and once returned to Sri Lanka pursued a career in Television Presenting and Acting.  She obtained a Master of Arts degree from the University of Kelaniya in Drama and Theatre and in the same year won a World Price for Sales Management in the Marketing Diploma she completed under the London Chamber of Commerce and Industries.

Thesara won the Best Actress Award 2008 from OCIC/UNDA and Best Supporting Actress Award from State Tele Drama Awards 2007 for her outstanding role in Asoka Handagama’s ‘East is Calling’ (Nagenahira Weralin Asena) Tele Drama.

Currently she is fulltime employed heading a Marketing Division of a prestigious Financial institute in Sri Lanka. As a hobby she presents a Television program and lectures at CASL and University of Sri Jayawerdenapura as a part time lecturer.