SLIM graduation recognises practising marketeers

The 12th annual SLIM graduation was held recently at the HNB Towers Auditorium Colombo under the patronage of Director PIM Dr. Uditha Liyanage.

Fifty-seven Diplomates and 14 Certified Professional Marketeers graduated at this event. Four new Fellows of the Institute - Wasantha Mallikarachchi, Sarath Fernando, S.R.A. Abeywickrama and Dr. A.D.P. Baddevithana - were also inducted the same evening.

A special feature of this year's graduation was the awarding of 'Practising Marketer' status to 49 eminent professionals of the marketing fraternity from various corporate fields in Sri Lanka. Among them were also ten past presidents of SLIM, Lalith de Mel, J.A D. De Lanerolle, J.G.P. Perera, Dehan Senevirathne, Lal de Mel, Nalin Attigalle, W.S.K. Mallikarachchi, S.C. Fernando and R.M.P. Dayawansa.

SLIM President Saliya Weerasekera said, "We believe in having an assessment-based status conferred on marketeers who have excelled in this competitive environment. This is what led SLIM to launch this new status.

"We believe that a marketeer's true excellence can only be evaluated through his timely decision, making ability and continuous learning in the local market.

"Successful marketers operating in this environment need to be recognised. This is where the 'Practising Marketeer' status awarded by SLIM plays a pivotal role."