Pramukshi: Storyteller, strategist, success builder

With over 15 years of experience shaping leading hospitality and lifestyle brands across Sri Lanka, the Maldives, and the UAE, Pramukshi Kariyawasam is an award-winning marketeer and PR strategist whose influence goes far beyond conventional campaigns.

- BY ZANITA CAREEM

Beginning her career in PR at Cinnamon Hotels & Resorts, she quickly rose through the ranks, mastering the balance between brand positioning, strategic partnerships, and digital innovation.

Today, Pramukshi leads with a vision that fuses creativity, strategy, and a deep understanding of consumer behavior. Her ability to transform brand narratives into powerful lifestyle experiences has positioned her as one of the region's most dynamic communication leaders.

Behind the titles and accolades lies a communicator at heart — someone who believes that brands must not only sell, but also connect, inspire, and tell authentic stories.

As she sits down with us, she shares insights into her journey, her philosophy of storytelling, and her vision for the future of marketing.

You've been recognised as an award-winning marketing and PR professional in the Middle East. Can you walk us through your journey and what shaped your voice as a brand storyteller?

When I first arrived in the Middle East, while I brought years of hospitality marketing expertise, I knew the media landscape here operated very differently from Sri Lanka or the Maldives. So, I made a deliberate choice to learn fast — immersing myself in the region's media culture, building relationships from scratch, and understanding how influencer engagement, press relationships, and brand positioning play out differently here.

At Shangri-La Dubai, I was starting fresh with a legacy brand, much like the ones I'd handled in Sri Lanka and the Maldives. I've always treated brands as personalities — each with their own quirks, tone, and emotional pull. That mindset shapes how I tell their stories: with empathy, with boldness, and with a focus on truth. I don't believe in quick wins; I believe in consistent, strategic storytelling that reinforces a brand's positioning until it becomes second nature to its audience.