Roshan Perera

Roshan Perera

Roshan Perera, February 2012
Born Roshan Damian Perera
(1976-04-02) 2 April 1976
Colombo, Sri Lanka
Nationality Sri Lankan
Alma mater St Josephs College
the University of Connecticut
Harvard Business School
Occupation

businessman

  • Chairman of Platinum Holdings (pvt) Ltd
  • Chairman of Lanka SSS pvt ltd
Years active 1994–present

Roshan Perera (born 2 April 1976) is a Sri Lankan entrepreneur, business magnate, investor and philanthropist. He was the CEO of Bellucci Sri Lanka (pvt) Ltd in 1996 which he geared to make it into Asia's largest ceramic figurine manufacturing company. He eventually owned the company employing over 5000 staff. The company was the flagship supplier to multinationals like Disney, Hallmark and Walmart.

At 22, he was considered the youngest Sri Lankan billionaire entrepreneur[1] to run organisations with over 10 billion Sri Lankan rupees turnover. By 2001, his business empire was diversified into ceramics, packaging, freight-forwarding, clothing and fashion, nightclubs and entertainment, media and investments.

He was listed as one the richest person in Sri Lanka in the 1990s.He is known to have owned the first stretch limousine and a private helicopter in Sri Lanka.[2]

Background

Mr. Perera was born in Colombo, Sri Lanka, He was educated at St. Joseph's College, Colombo and then earned his degree at the University of Connecticut, graduating in Economics and Business Administration. After which he was accepted to Harvard University for his Masters, but returned to Sri Lanka due to his father's ill health and subsequent death.

It was during this time that he managed to convince Disney[3] to consider purchasing its gift items from Sri Lanka[4] This brought Sri Lanka into world recognition as an exporter other than Tea, This breakthrough helped the garment industry to penetrate Fortune 500 companies and is now Sri Lanka's largest export earner.

Career

The Flagship factory Bellucci

After dropping out of Harvard business school and returning to Sri Lanka, He further developed the contact he made with Disney[5] and particular with then Disney CEO Michael Eisner.[6] He somehow convinced Disney to visit Sri Lanka and in 1996 braving the civil war[7] that turmoiled the country, this was the breakthrough the country needed with Disney on board and as the world's only Fortune 500 company purchasing goods from the war-torn little teardrop island, it laid the foundation for other companies like Hallmark, Walmart, Homco to follow suit and capitalise on the low price but extremely high quality standards and helped boost the economy.[8]

Bellucci

unhappy with simply manufacturing figurines for international brands, roshan perera launched his own brand named Bellucci[9] which was sold worldwide, at its peak the factories were known to have turnover of over 5 million dollars a month which was the largest in Sri Lanka in the 1990s. But after 2001 as a result of 9/11, which drastically reduced purchasing power by US companies, his fortunes were affected with most of his factories closing.

Beauty Pageants

he is the Franchisee for miss Sri Lanka for Miss Intercontinental,which is the countries most popular beauty pageant to-date., [10][11][12]

Roshan Perera with Miss Sri Lanka Finalists
roshan with miss Sri Lanka Maria

In 2005 he ventured into the Beauty pageants and the modelling business, his company has the largest number of models in Sri Lanka, Currently six girls from the agency have won beauty pageants in Sri Lanka including names like Miss Sri Lanka Maria Colombage and Jacqueline Fernandez.

Other ventures

His cash cow is considered to be Lanka SS which manufactures ICE skating boots, the company, inherited from his father, has no competition.

The flagship company Platinum Holdings is considered to have investments diversified in countries from Australia to India.

Bellucci head office

His foray into agriculture is the current buzz. The company is currently popularizing traditional rice varieties like Suwandell, Pachaperumal,[13] over 10,000 acres of farm land is used for this purpose. He seems confident in making the brand an international phenomenon.[14]

Interests

He previously owned a Ferrari F12berlinetta and a Porsche 911. His most priced possessions were the Bell 47 which did not last very long and Sri Lanka's first stretch limousines which were a Mercedes and a Cadillac.[15]

He is a major donor of Sri Lanka's largest Rotary Club.,[16][17][18] His business interests seem have dwindled compared to the 1990s and he is known to spend most of his time with his family in a Villa in the suburbs of Sri Lanka.

References

  1. ↑ Akhry, Ameer. A model working environment The Sunday Times, 6 January 2002
  2. ↑ "From a Jack to a King". Retrieved 20 September 2014.
  3. ↑ "busine08". Retrieved 20 September 2014.
  4. ↑ "Spotlight". The Sunday Leader. Retrieved 20 September 2014.
  5. ↑ "Disney Store – Official Site for Disney Merchandise". Retrieved 20 September 2014.
  6. ↑ Michael Eisner
  7. ↑ Sri Lankan Civil War
  8. ↑ "::: Business". The Sunday Times. Sri Lanka. Retrieved 20 September 2014.
  9. ↑ http://www.sundayobserver.lk/2002/02/03/fea14.html
  10. ↑ "::: Business". The daily FT. Sri Lanka. Retrieved 15 July 2016.
  11. ↑ "::: Business". lankanewsweb=Sri Lanka. Retrieved 15 July 2016.
  12. ↑ "::: Business". The Sunday leader=Sri Lanka. Retrieved 15 July 2016.
  13. ↑ "Eye – Features". Retrieved 20 September 2014.
  14. ↑ "Sri Lanka Army To Promote Traditional Rice Varieties". Retrieved 20 September 2014.
  15. ↑ "Untitled Document". The Sunday Times. Sri Lanka. Retrieved 20 September 2014.
  16. ↑ "Rotary Sri Lanka". Retrieved 30 July 2016.
  17. ↑ "Rotary Club of Colombo West – Rotary Club of Colombo West". Rotary Club of Colombo West. Retrieved 20 September 2014.
  18. ↑ "Wycherley Interact Club Installation 2010–2011". The Sunday Times. Sri Lanka. Retrieved 20 September 2014.
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