OUR TEAM

Peter is a development professional who has an array of experience in various fields. He is a Fellow Member of the Institute of Chartered Accountants of Sri Lanka and has a MSc. in Applied Psychology from University of Colombo. He possesses more than 30 years of experience, holding senior positions in the corporate and development sectors. In 1997, Peter was appointed as acting CEO of Aitken Spence Garments Limited. He joined the World Conservation Union (IUCN) in October 1998 as the Director, Finance and Human Resources, Asia Region. He also held the responsibilities of Director Human Resources and Regional Internal Audit and served as a part time consultant for the IUCN Asia Regional Office advising them on Human Resources Management matters with special oversight for their international recruitment. He was a board Member of the Regional Community Forestry Training Centre based in Thailand (1999-2006) serving on the Standing Committee. He has over the years served on several Boards and Committees including The Sri Lanka Apparel Exporters Association, The UK Textile Institute, The Clothing Industry Training Institute, The Vocational Training Authority of Sri Lanka and Partnership in Alternative Training. He was a Member of the Board of Trustees of the Ceylon Schools for the Deaf & Blind and served on their Executive Committee. Peter is currently the Managing Director of GLIDE and Strategic Inspirations (Pvt) Ltd – a management consultancy firm providing management consulting services mainly to organizations in the development field, including local and international NGOs, international donour agencies and public institutions. He is also a visiting lecturer of Faculty of Graduate Studies, University of Colombo.

Gamini is a Chartered Engineer and has experience in both state and private sectors. He is a Fellow Member of the Institution of Engineers Sri Lanka (IESL), Member of Engineering Institute of Zambia, Agricultural Engineering Society of Sri Lanka and the Plastic and Rubber institute of Sri Lanka (PRI). Presently he is reading for an MPhil at Postgraduate Institution of Agriculture, University of Peradeniya. He was the Director of the Engineering Design Center (EDC) of the Faculty of Engineering, University of Peradeniya which achieved rapid progress under his guidance. He is also a consultant to private sector companies in engineering management, productivity improvements and energy conservation applications. He has served as a director/board member to many private and public sector organizations. He has rendered professional services to many institutions such as Sri Lanka Standards Institution (SLSI), Wages Board of Sri Lanka (Gazetted on 28.06. 1991), Appropriate Technology Research and Development Centre (ATRDC) and Quality Assurance and Accreditation Council at University Grants Commission Sri Lanka. He has also participated for many development activities of Ministry of Science & Technology, and Ministry of Agriculture. He participated as a country representative for Metropolitan Environment Improvement Programme’s first annual workshop sponsored by World Bank and UNDP at Honolulu Hawaii in 1990. He was the Sri Lankan representative for the Symposium on Wages Incentives and Productivity Linkage, held in the National Productivity Centre, Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia in 1991. He is a visiting lecturer at the Plastic and Rubber Institute, University of Peradeniya and many other private and government training institutions. He has conducted more than 100 plumber training programs for plumbers, and technicians in construction field. Gamini has had much international exposure on many industries in Singapore, Indonesia, India, Germany, Malaysia, Hong Kong, Tanzania, Zambia, Dubai, Hawaii and China. Currently, he is also the General Manager of Kamal PVC Industries (Pvt) Ltd.

Torben is a multidisciplinary professional possessing a science background and with specific focus areas of renewable energy, including environment and conservation, as well as energy efficiency, auditing, e-waste and biomass and within these areas, support to entrepreneurial development. Torben has a background in geology and geochemistry and has been working extensively in Asia with IUCN – The World Conservation Union as head of the Marine and Coastal Programme in Asia in addition to various consultancies and assignments in relation to marine and coastal environment and management. His experience has brought him in as an active board member in various organizations with specific competence in business and organizational development and he is perceived as a strong team player in idea generation and execution as well as strategic analysis. Countries of work experience include Denmark, Sri Lanka, Tanzania, Switzerland, Vietnam, Cambodia, China, Thailand, Pakistan, Indonesia, Maldives and India. In addition to the above, Currently, Torben is the owner and CEO of Vesterlyng Camping – one of the largest camp sites in Zealand, Denmark. Specific areas of competence include innovation, cross-cultural communication, social entrepreneurship, business development, networking, company start-ups and government liaison.

Srilal was the Head of the Materials section of the Industrial Technology Institute (ITI), the premier state technological research body in Sri Lanka. He is a Materials scientist, with over 30 years’ experience in Research and Development, Quality Management and Materials Testing, in both the business sector and in government. He was actively engaged in R&D of materials based products with a potential for commercialization. These included the technology to utilize garment factory waste to generate steam for use in the factory itself, reducing energy drawn from the national grid, and bringing down the overall energy bill. He was involved in the development of innovative red clay based tiles as well as red clay based cookware, which has a potential to significantly reduce energy usage in domestic consumption. Srilal is the recipient of a merit award, in 1991, from the Plastics & Rubber Institute (SL) for his contribution to the growth of the Polymer Industry in Sri Lanka. He is also co-recipient of the National S&T award, in 2008, from the National Science Foundation, Sri Lanka (NSF) –for Development of Value Added products using local natural resources.

Jayani is a Chemical & Process Engineering graduate of University of Moratuwa, and has completed her MSc. in the Environmental Engineering discipline. She has extensive experience as a Carbon Assets Manager and her consultancy work includes carbon footprint analysis and carbon neutralization. As an Assistant Director at Sri Lanka Standards Institute, she has participated in ISO 14001 (Environmental Management System) and ISO 50001 (Energy Management System) audits. Her involvement has also been in the preparation of Nationally Appropriate Mitigatory Actions (NAMA) for energy sector in Sri Lanka. Furthermore, she has worked on renewable energy projects, energy management programmes and Cleaner Development Mechanism (CDM) activities. She is an energy consultant for energy audit projects, driving energy conservation measures in industries.

Roshaan is a UK graduate with CFA, CIMA and experience in investment research and accounting. He started his career at PwC, audit division in 1999. He has worked with British Telecom as a business sales administrator prior to returning to Sri Lanka in late 2003. He joined a leading bank, in the treasury operations before starting work in a leading KPO. He possess about six years of experience in investment research specializing in equity and fixed income research. In Jan 2011 he co-founded Gradient Alliance, a business consulting and corporate finance services provider. He is also a UK Associate Member of Chartered Institute of Management Accountants (CIMA) and a Chartered Financial Analyst (CFA).

She possess ten years’ experience in design, advising and implementation of large-scale complex projects (amounts ranging between US$ 200,000-400,000 and reaching out to approximately 30000 beneficiaries) in conflict affected areas for various donors EU, CIDA, DFID, Royal Norwegian Embassy and USAID; Sumangalie is a technical expertise in Program development in the last eleven years (Proposal writing, Material development, Social Audits, Monitoring and Evaluation) with recent work on reconciliation and peace building, livelihood, social development and prevention of violence against women; She is also a qualified Attorney-at-Law with eight years’ experience in human rights, legal research, human resource management, contractual relations, and advocacy related to issues including gender and equality, workers’ rights, minority issues, partnerships and memorandums of understanding; Skilled negotiator, with four years’ experience forging partnerships and networks with international, regional, and national level organizations, including community level groups around key issues including peace building, prevention of violence against women, skilled development and livelihood options.

Nelun Gunasekera is a Gender and Development professional with over thirty years’ experience in a range of fields broadly within the development sector. She has worked in research organizations, NGOs and INGOs, an international church-based organization covering the Asia region, a private sector consulting firm and as an independent consultant, both locally and internationally. She joined the Asian Development Bank (ADB), Sri Lanka Resident Mission, as the Gender and Social Development Specialist, in 2004. Since her retirement from the ADB, she has returned to working as an independent consultant on Gender and Social Development. She holds a BA (Special) degree in English from Sri Lanka and a MA in Development Studies (specializing in Gender & Development) from The Netherlands. As the Gender and Social Development Specialist in the ADB she was involved in operations in a variety of sectors such as Energy, Transport (Roads), Water Supply and Sanitation, Urban development, Technical and Vocational Education and Training, Secondary Education, Agriculture and Natural Resources, and Finance and Public Sector Management. In the energy sector, she was involved in policy discussions with the CEB, together with ADB headquarters staff, to integrate gender design features in energy sector projects, leading to the first workshop on gender and energy organized together with the CEB. In ADB she was also involved in energy sector knowledge development initiatives together with the University of Melbourne focusing on inclusive energy solutions in South Asia and in the Asia region. As an independent consultant she carried out assignments for ADB, CARE International, CIDA, Christian Aid, Bread for the World, Cordaid, Swiss Intercooperation, South Asia Partnership International, UNICEF and the ministries of foreign affairs and of development cooperation of the Netherlands. These assignments cover evaluations of and strategic planning for NGOs and INGOs, evaluations of projects on entrepreneurial skills development for women, women and local government, irrigation infrastructure for rural development, infrastructure support to rural communities in conflict-affected areas, psycho-social support for victims of conflict and torture survivors, disability and poverty reduction, technical education for plantation sector youth, and human rights, justice and peace-building. She enjoys designing and delivering gender sensitization training and has over thirty years’ experience in providing training to NGOs, INGOs, community-based organizations, women’s societies and ecumenical youth groups. In her twelve years in the ADB she has trained government officers, project staff and other stakeholders in various sectors of ADB operations in Sri Lanka. She is on the Board of Directors of Chrysalis (formerly CARE Sri Lanka) and is a Governing Board Member of the Marga Institute.

Possessing 10 years of experience in her area of expertise, Sonali provides vital support to the GLIDE team by handling financial reporting and administration activities to ensure the smooth run of operations as well as adherence to the statutory requirements. She is the key person operationally in charge of the training programmes conducted by us and is also responsible for our back office operations to ensure that professional standards are maintained.

A graduate of University of Peradeniya, Suganda is a resource person to the Steam Engineering Centre at the Faculty of Engineering, University of Peradeniya, the Integrated Training Company, Alkobar, Saudi Arabia and Industrial Services Bureau. He was involved in a number of energy audits at leading organizations such as Richard Pieris Tyre Co. Ltd, Premium Exports Ceylon (a fully owned subsidiary of Unilever Sri Lanka Ltd) and the Department of Textile Industries (Central Province). He is a consultant to many steam related projects in the industry, including at Nestle Lanka PLC on new steam generation expansion projects.

Ruwan is a graduate in Mechanical Engineering, University of Moratuwa. He is an energy auditor accredited by the Sri Lanka Sustainable Energy Authority (SLSEA) and has over five years of experience in the energy conservation field as an energy engineer, conducting and setting up energy conservation measures in manufacturing industries, hotels, hospitals and commercial buildings. He possesses experience in development of non-conventional renewable energy (NCRE) based power plants, tri-generation and CHP projects.

Formerly the General Manager of National Engineering Research & Development Centre (NERDC), he is a patentee who has completed and participated in numerous engineering research projects. He has vast experience in the areas of energy efficiency, micro hydro development, energy labeling and standards, etc. He is a member of the Institution of Engineers Sri Lanka (IESL) and a Corporate Member of Sri Lanka Energy Managers Association (SLEMA), and has been a resource person for many industrial training programmes. He is one of the most renowned professionals in his areas of specialization.