Harsha Balachandra Email & Phone Number

Bangkok, TH

Colombo, Western, Sri Lanka

Colombo, Western, Sri Lanka

• Responsible for the overall operations of the company including Sales, Marketing, Operations Departments and support functions
• Developing and Implementing annual business plans including source market diversification and implementation of sustainability and responsible travel initiativesKey achievements:
• Organisational Restructure: Business restructured post Covid-19 pandemic to focus on core business and reduce fixed cost base by 55%
• Market Diversification: Development of Southern European, Benelux, Scandinavian, German & Australian Markets to reduce dependency on the UK market to 42%
• Brand Rejuvenation: Red Dot and Sri Lanka In Style and Red Dot relaunched with enhanced web presence, with the eventual and spin off of the direct brands
• Sustainability: Implementation of Sustainability initiatives including no plastic policy, carbon offsetting through Mangrove Replanting and Travelife Partnership.

Colombo, Western, Sri Lanka

• Responsible for the operations of Tea Tang reporting to the holding company BP De Silva Group
• Provide leadership and strategic direction to the Executive Committee
• Developing and Implementing annual business plans
• Responsibility for the achievement of volume, topline and bottom lineKey Achievements:
• Revenue and Volume growth: Double digit revenue growth, high single digit growth in volume and GP in 2016 and 2017, during a period where industry volumes declined
• Introduction of Lean management principles: Improved productivity on the production floor resulting on the reduction in contractual headcount by more than 10% and instilling a culture of continuous improvement

Bangkok, Bangkok City, Thailand

• Responsibility for the Myanmar market, heading the Myanmar commercial team
• Developing and Implementing sales and marketing plans including entering new segments and channels
• Management of Distributers and Expert Partners
• Project Team member for the development of the Myanmar Strategic Plan for Market Entry (conversion of business from trading operation to OpCo), Lead for Route to Market, member for Portfolio and Operations works streams
• Responsibility for the achievement of volume, topline and bottom lineKey Achievements:
• Top line and bottom line performance: Grew sales by 20% (USD 27mln) and EBIT by 23%in 2014 over previous year

Yangon, Myanmar

Myanmar

• Key Responsibilities:
• Member of the Senior Management Team and Strategy Steering Committee (SSC), responsible for devising and implementing corporate strategy at IBTC (largest hard liquor company in Myanmar; whisky category share 80%).
• Functionally responsible for Marketing, overlooking Brand Marketing, Trade Marketing and Marketing Research.
• Manage a staff of over 100 people and a US$ multi million budget (the largest marketing budget in Myanmar).
• Development and execution of marketing strategy including brand, trade marketing and research plans.
• Build a strong marketing team to maintain market leadership position and meet future market challenges.

Sri Lanka

• Key Responsibilities:
• Member of the Operating Committee (OpCo), responsible for 1) assisting the Executive Committee (Exco) develop the corporate strategy & plan, and 2) implementation of the corporate plan and running of the company.
• Functionally responsible for the management of the entire BAT brand portfolio for Sri Lanka & Maldives including development of brand portfolio strategy, involving analysis of market segments, trends, opportunities.
• Development and execution of all brand plans including innovative and effective consumer & retail engagement platforms using available touch points in a restricted marketing environment.
• Responsible for new product development, brand research, budget management with accountability for volume and brand profitability.
• Build and manage relationships with external agencies, ensuring that first class service levels and products are received on time to agreed budget.

Indonesia

• Key Responsibilities:
• Management of BAT’s key Premium Global Drive Brand, Lucky Strike. Indonesia is a strategically important market for BAT: 5th biggest tobacco market in the world.
• Development of brand strategy and plans, including TTL integrated campaigns, comprehensive PR programmes for the exploitation of F1 sponsorship, trade programmes and merchandising to support brand objectives.
• Product Development and Packaging Innovation projects for premium portfolio. Key Achievements:
• Volume performance: Achieved highest growth rate for Lucky Strike globally for two consecutive years (42% in 2005 & 21% in 2006) enabling Indonesia to become a top 5 market for this global drive brand.
• Campaigns: Won the F1 toolkit competition in 2005 & 2006 for the market that best exploited the F1 sponsorship. Indonesia has been recognised for ‘the best overall through-the-line use of the F1 platform’ by any market.

Colombo, Western, Sri Lanka

• Key Responsibilities:
• Management of the premium brand portfolio in Sri Lanka.
• Development and implementation of innovative and effective communication utilising the full marketing mix.
• Development of key strategic channels for the marketing of the premium brand portfolio.
• Management of BAT’s Maldivian operation; include delivering volume and profits, portfolio management, logistics, distribution, managing relationships with distributor as well as with internal stakeholders.Key.
• Directly responsible for the highly successful re-launch of the ‘Benson & Hedges’ brand in August 2003, which resulted in volume and market share quadrupling and the brand driving growth of the premium segment.

Zug, Switzerland

• Key Responsibilities:
• Management of BAT’s two global drive brands, Kent and Dunhill, as well as key regional brands including Barclay and Peter Stuyvesant controlling a brand budget of more than US$4 million.
• Provide Premium & Lights Portfolio marketing support to 86 markets within the Europe & Africa Division of the Global Travel Retail (GTR) including major cross-market, channel and tactical promotions.
• Development of the Retail Environment Strategy and implementation of Retail Media solutions.Key Achievements:
• Following the merger of Rothmans and BAT Travel Retail operations; actively involved in change management including the merger of the two portfolios in the new organisation and the implementation of BAT practices and.
• Responsible for launch of ‘New’ Kent across European Travel Retail and multiple re-launches, line extensions and packaging modifications.

• Key Responsibilities:
• Recruited on the ‘Challenge Initiative’, the global graduate intake of BAT, underwent substantial cross functional training before being assigned to the Brand Marketing Team.
• Gained invaluable experience in all aspects of brand management including Brand Planning, Sales Operational Planning, Product Development, Market Research, Advertising, Through the Line Promotions and Merchandising.
• Included a development move as a Regional Manager involving hands on experience in Trade Marketing and Distribution with responsibility for 5 direct reports, 12 distributors and 100 distribution reps servicing 9,500.
• Responsible for building ‘John Player Gold Leaf’ into one of the strongest FMCG brands in Sri Lanka, resulting in market share doubling from 19% to 40% with a turnover of SL Rs.10 billion over a 3 year period.

Mba Essentials

B.Eng (Hons)