PANEL OF JUDGES

Chief Judge

  • Mr. Dilip De Silva – Senior Specialist, Industry Skills and Development, ILO



    • Dilip currently works as the International Trainer for TVET Workplace Development for Charles Darwin University in Australia. Having worked the International Labour Organisation (ILO) Senior Consultant, Industry Skills Development, Bangladesh Skills for Employment and Productivity (B-SEP) Project for ten years; He is an international Tourism & Hospitality consultant with over 30 years’ experience working in four continents, Europe, Indian sub-continent, Australasia and Africa. Specialised in Technical and Vocational Skills Development, Dilip has worked for international organisations including AusAid, European Union and currently under Australian Government funded project. An Expert Trainer of Sustaining Competitive Responsible Enterprises (SCORE) of ILO Geneva working in Bangladesh, Kenya and South Africa in Tourism sector.

    As a highly specialised international trainer in Tourism and Hospitality sector who has worked in over ten countries in the past 40 years, Dilip is an accredited Industry assessor of City & Guilds of London Institute and has the distinction of winning the Food & Beverage first place medal in City & Guilds of London Institute. He is also a hotel pre-opening specialist who has worked with Starwood Hotels (Sheraton, Westin) Intercontinental hotels, Holiday Inn, Marriot hotels, Hilton hotels, Accor hotels (Novatel, Sofitel hotels internationally and locally in Aitken Spence hotels, Jetwing hotels, Hayleys hotels (Amaya brand) and Blue Waters hotel Wadduwa.

    There isn’t anyone more suitable to head our judging panel of 07 regional head judges and 50 regional judges to assess over 300 applicants from over 70 hotels taking part in THASL Rising Star Awards 2017.


Panel of Judges - Finale

  • Mr. Dilip De Silva - Chief Judge

  • Mrs. Rosy Senanayake - Prime Minister's Spokesperson and the Deputy Head of the Prime Minister's Office. Women’s rights activists

  • Ms. Otara Gunewardene - Entrepreneur and philanthropist; Founder ODEL, Otara foundation and CEO Embark.

  • Mr. Paddy Withana - Former Chairman to Sri Lanka Tourism and Advisor to Prime Minister

  • Mr. Anton Godfrey - Chairman and Chief Executive Officer of AGXA and AG International Company




Regional Head Judges – Preliminary rounds

  • Mr. Dilip De Silva – Senior Specialist, Industry Skills and Development, ILO

  • Mr Eraj Abeywardane – Hospitality & Leisure Consultant

  • Mr. Hiran Serasinghe – Consultant / Hotel Managing Agent

  • Mr. S Kumar Thambaiya MHCIMA, SCA, MRG, FCHSGA

  • Mr. Upul Peiris – Consultant on Hotel management

  • Mr. Anil Perera – Managing Director, Sunray Hotel & Chefs Training Academy

  • Mr. Ranjith Yapa – Tourism & hospitality Lecturer and consultant

  • Mr. Kumar Perera – Consultant

The regional head judges were supported by 40 regional judges during the first stage of assessment that took place in around the island.




AUTHORITY

The Chairman of the Panel of Judges will be the sole and final deciding authority regarding the evaluation procedures and on the recipients of the awards. In this exercise, an appropriate advisory panel may assist him.