Ranil de Silva wins IAA Global Medal

The International Advertising Association (IAA) headquartered in New York presented its highest accolade for outstanding service to the industry- The Global Medal of Merit, to Ranil de Silva at the World Congress in Moscow.

Established in the 1960s, the Medal for Merit has been granted to only a select few professionals every two years, thus making this honour a noteworthy and fitting tribute to the contribution made by Ranil de Silva to the advertising industry in Sri Lanka.

Ranil de Silva

IAA Chairman and World President, Alan Rutherford - presented this year’s medals at the Kremlin Palace Congress Centre in Moscow during the IAA 2010 World Congress. Lowe LDB, Chief Executive Officer, Lilamani Dias Benson accepted this award on behalf of Ranil de Silva.

With this honour, de Silva joins the ranks of renowned luminaries in the industry such as Khamis Al Muqla- President of Gulf Marcom, Diane Slade Director, Edith Cowan University Australia and Takayuki Shimizu Executive Director, Dentsu Inc., Japan. He also shares this mantle with fellow Burnetter Carla Michelotti - Global Chief Legal, Government, Corporate Affairs Officer of Leo Burnett Worldwide.

Ranil de Silva has been in advertising since 1981 and has grown in the industry through the decades. He started his career at JWT Colombo as its first Sri Lankan employee and rose to the position of International Vice-President.

He also had the honour of being selected to serve in the JWT network outside of Sri Lanka- a first for the country.

Having started Leo Burnett in Colombo 11 years ago without a client and even an office, he has taken the Colombo office of the leading global network of Leo Burnett Worldwide to great heights achieving the No.1 slot for the agency creatively and bringing global recognition to Sri Lanka by winning the first ever metal for the country at an International Awards Festival.

His passion and commitment for the industry was further endorsed by the Cannes Lions, who appointed him as their representative in Sri Lanka, a role he has fulfilled with tireless dedication.

In this capacity he has given Sri Lanka’s advertising industry the opportunity to be exposed to the best of the world in advertising through numerous exhibitions and forums of Cannes Lions winners.

He has also provided 20 Sri Lankan professionals the opportunity to participate in the programs conducted by the organizers of the Cannes Lions.

He revived the IAA Sri Lanka Chapter and later assumed the mantle of President in 2005 and served two terms in this capacity.

He also served on the Worldwide Board of Directors of the IAA.