Business Today Sri Lanka Magazine - October 2008

In this issue

Dullas Alahapperuma was different. He 'retired hurt'. The political however has a way of un-retiring the voluntarily retired. He came back with a shout, this unassuming man did. In a political milieu where only the endowments that seem to count are wealth and connections, Dallas had what many would think is the poorer gift, the power of the word. This is a rare asset and one which was recognized and employed to good effect by Mahinda Rajapaksa.
Spokesperson for the Sihala Urumaya and later Jathika Hela Urumaya, defender of the unitary state, given more to nurturing a political flame than lighting firecrackers, and now custodian of sorts of the environment, Udaya Gammanpila, has over the past eight years made enemies and friends. No one will deny, however, that he etched a name for himself as an articulate political personality, truly a rare breed these days.
Miles Young, speaks on the newly appointed global CEO of the Ogilvy Group, the world's third largest agency group, on outperforming competitors, increasing creative recognition and on Sri Lanka being his home.
UMGI is a leading business conglomerate in India with a multifaceted portfolio of business including sugar, consumer goods, pharmaceuticals, cosmetics, sponge iron steel, engineering and power. With a background in chemical engineering entrepreneur and industrialist Umesh K Modi, Chairman, President and CEO of Revlon Lanka and UMGI speaks on a landmark pioneering investment and on managing the diversity of a regional business conglomerate.