Dirk Flamer-Caldera – Chairman

Our team is led by Mr. Dirk Flamer-Caldera who ignites the company with his strong spark for entrepreneurship.  Completing his studies in California, he began his career developing real estate in the USA. After returning to Sri Lanka in 1983, Mr. Flamer-Caldera co-founded Connaissance de Ceylan Ltd. and seven years later co-founded the country’s largest investment bank currently known as Asia Capital Ltd. Mr. Flamer-Caldera also co-founded Asian Alliance Insurance Company and has served on the Boards of several listed companies in Sri Lanka.

Arjun Dharmadasa – Deputy Chairman

Mr. Dharmadasa is one of the founding directors of Connaissance de Ceylan Ltd. He successfully managed CDC Conventions (Pvt.) Ltd. which was the market leader in the Exhibition and Convention field for several years in Sri Lanka.  He is also a Director at Freight Plan (Pvt.) Ltd., a leading freight forwarding and shipping company. Mr. Dharmadasa is currently the Managing Director of Lanka Exhibitions and Conference Services (Pvt.) Ltd., the convention arm of Visit Lanka. With over 25 years of service to the tourism industry under his belt, Mr. Dharmadasa is an invaluable asset to the company.

Nihal Illeperuma – Managing Director

Mr. Illepperuma began his career in the hotel sector working at the Yala Safari Beach Hotel. He joined Connaissance de Ceylan Ltd. in 1988 and within just seven years he was promoted to Director of Operations where he managed over three hundred foreign agents. Mr.Illepperuma is fluent in English, French and German and, apart from his duties as MD of Visit Lanka, he also spearheads the marketing efforts of the company.

A. Hameed Razack – Director of Administration

Mr. Razack is a graduate in Hotel and Hospitality Management and a member of CHSGA.  He started his career in 1989 at the Windsor Hotel as a Receptionist and worked his way up. He was also employed at Grand Hotel, Riverina Hotel and then Kosgoda Beach Resort.  He worked in the travel trade for five years before Visit Lanka was formed.

Reggie Abayekoon – Director of Operations

Mr. Abeyakoon started off at Hotel Bayroo in 1981 and subsequently joined the Mermaid Hotel and Club. A year later, he journeyed to France where he was employed by several hotels and restaurants in Paris for over a period of ten years. Upon his return to Sri Lanka, he joined Connaissance de Ceylan Ltd. in 1997 and by the end of 2001 he was promoted to the post of Assistant Manager of the French Market, handling close to about one hundred travel agents. Mr. Abayekoon is currently the man ‘Friday’ of the organization involving himself in every facet of the business.

Prasanna Hewage – Director of Finance

Mr. Hewage commenced his career in the hotel sector in 1977 and joined Connaissance de Ceylan Ltd. in 1988. He held the post of General Manager in the year 2001 which brought under his command the entire operations of Travels, Accounts, Reservations and Transport.  Mr.Hewage brings with him a wealth of experience in all aspects of the travel industry to Visit Lanka (Pvt.) Ltd.

Chanaka Alwis – Director of Sales and Marketing

Mr. Alwis has a great deal of experience dealing with the French traveller to Sri Lanka. He started his career in Travels with CDC in the year 1988 and worked his way up the corporate ladder to be promoted to Manager of the French market in 2001. His fluency in French and French culture is a tremendous asset to us in understanding the psyche of the French traveller