CIMA, Janashakthi Pinnacle Awards in March

THE CIMA Janashakthi, Pinnacle awards ceremony will be held on March 28 in Colombo.

Country Chairman Chevron Corporation Kishu Gomes won last year's event.

Gomes is the Country Chairman for Chevron Corporation in Sri Lanka one of the largest energy companies in the world based in US.

He is also the Managing Director/CEO of Caltex Lubricants and Caltex Ceylon Ltd.

Apart from these Gomes also plays role in the global business world being a member of the Asia Pacific Lubricants Team the Business decision making that takes strategic business decisions encompassing 18 countries and he is only the Asian in the team at present.

In addition he served on the board of American Chamber of Commerce from 2001 to 2005 and was elected president in 2003.

Gomes has also served in the Chartered Institute of Marketing Sri Lanka Branch. He also won the CIM award few years back.

He was also involved with CIMA in many ways and had addressed the CIMA students conference. In addition he is a regular participant in many CIMA activities.

One of his recent achievements was being selected as the CIMA Best Business Leader of 2004. He entered this competition after seeing the benefit of it and following advice of many whom he said encouraged him and winning it had made him happy.

He applied for it after getting the approval from the directors. However it was challenging for him as he had to show performance, how he managed human resources, personal accomplishments and the contribution towards the society. He also had to get several endorsements

"An award such as this add so much value and I will always encourage the Business Leaders to go for awards such as this," he said.

He thanked the CIMA and the sponsor of the competition Janashakthi Insurance. "It was a good strategic partnership between the two organisation as it is an act which produces good leaders, entrepreneurs which can be considered as assets for a nation.

"The award made me special. Enhanced my potential and I was able to reposition myself," he added. Gomes said winning the award also helped him to send a message to the society which tells what a person is in the society.

"It also gave me an opportunity to serve the company and the community," he further pointed out. It has also helped the organization as it has got more recognition especially from the mother company.

"Our company believes in developing local talent and winning the award also fulfilled that objective," he explained.

A good business leader according to him is a person who thinks differently. He should have a vision to take an organisation in the right direction. He should set plans for the organisation and see that they are properly executed.

"He should also get the best out of the people but he should not act as a person who directs them but should be prepared to work with them and have a good relationship with them. He also explained that a business leader should also do his bit for the community and give something back to the society.

As a successful young Business Leader who takes a humble approach to life, he believes that one could learn something from everyone they associate while managing his/her own weaknesses.

Gomes is a product of Prince of Wales College, Moratuwa and a father of two. He also has a great passion for creativity and fashion and appeared in advertisements as brand ambassador.

He is also a lover of music and sports and has been an athlete during his school days and had established several records in the track and field.

Although he could not continue with his career in sports he made up for it being a promoter of sports.