Experience

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  Astron Limited

  • Ratmalana, Colombo, Sri Lanka

  • General Manager - Quality Operations

    • Sep 2017 - Present
    • Ratmalana, Colombo, Sri Lanka

    Astron Limited is former pfizer, one of the biggest and fastest growing manufacturers of prescribed and non-prescription USP/BP pharmaceuticals, neutraceuticals, consumer products, herbal products and animal health products under the brand name of Astron for over 50 years. All the processes are certified by internationally recognised GMP standards, ISO22000 and the laboratories are accredited under ISO17025.Responsibilities :• Support to meet financial targets while strengthening the quality operation activities through strategic inputs and ensure consistent value growth• Strengthen the relationship with all the stake holders related to quality operations such as government authorities, external testing bodies, universities and auditing bodies to continually improve the operating standards• Responsible for planning and execution of laboratory activities to maintain and improve ISO17025 through continuous facilitation• Responsible to work with different business development functions to establish strategies for future growth of company business• Develop annual strategic plans of the quality operation of the company and drive quality operations team towards business goals through quarterly reviews on allocated KPIs• Manage day to day operations with the managers to ensure the operation is running efficiently and cost effectively to achieve right quality• Directs department activities including budget plans and other service activities and support production plans and ensure that they are executed with in required time constraints at the right quality• Strive for operational excellence without compromising quality of the work to ensure best practices in place• Take strategic actions to maintain and improve company image in the country and internationally• Perform other related duties and responsibilities as directed by the company top management

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  CINEC Campus

  • Colombo, Western, Sri Lanka

  • Board Member/Course consultant

    • Mar 2021 - Present
    • Colombo, Western, Sri Lanka

    Consultation for lecture modules and laboratory upgrades in Pharmaceutical Sciences and Quality

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  University of Sri Jayewardenepura

  • Sri Lanka

  • Visiting Lecturer

    • Aug 2020 - Present
    • Sri Lanka

    Postgraduate program - Industrial Chemistry

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  University of Peradeniya

  • Peradeniya, Sri Lanka

  • Visiting Lecturer

    • Feb 2018 - Present
    • Peradeniya, Sri Lanka

    Post graduate studies in Pharmaceutical Sciences

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  Dipped Products PLC

  • Sri Lanka
  • International Trade and Development
  • 300 - 400 Employee

  • Group Quality Manager

    • Oct 2016 - Aug 2017

    DPL Group, a CSE listed Hayleys Subsidiary, is a seamless umbrella organization with own rubber plantations, manufacturing facilities and customer relationship management services. DPL serves up to 5% of global Hand Protection requirements, placing it within the 5 largest glove manufacturers globally. The company is certified for many international standards and regulations including ISO9001, PPE (Article 11B), BRC, ISO14001, FSC, OHSAS and ISO17025. Quality Department consists of advanced software and own methodologies to statistically analyse data for continuous improvements.As the Group Quality Manager, reporting to Head of Technical, am responsible for Total Quality Management and technical services within DPL group with 8 direct reports including Managers and Assistant Managers and indirect reports of 130 skilled employees with a range of education levels such as Science AL, NDT, BSc and MSc.• Responsible for QA/QC of all incoming material (RM, PM, liners etc.) through up to-date specifications, supplier audits, incoming checks through chemical and physical tests• Responsible for in process QA/QC on daily production, compounding, packing lines, testing of in process material, finished goods testing, formulation changes and validations of continuous improvements within the group• Responding to customer complaints in order to minimize or eliminate recurrence through root cause analysis of customer complaints, derive at CAs and PAs, implementations of new procedures, initiation and give direction to enhance automation to minimize errors• Responsible for compliance, customer, ethical audits and system audits, coordinate and monitor execution of CAs & PAs for NCs within a given time period through internal audits and surprise audits• Handling customer queries on QMS and product related technical aspects• Responsible for identification of relevant quality requirements specific to each product vs customer to manage cost of quality

  • Manager (R & D)

    • Aug 2012 - Sep 2016

    DPL Group, a CSE listed Hayleys Subsidiary, is a seamless umbrella organization with own rubber plantations, manufacturing facilities and customer relationship management services. DPL serves up to 5% of global Hand Protection requirements, placing it within the 5 largest glove manufacturers globally. Technical laboratories are accredited under ISO17025. R&D is equipped with ultra-modern equipment and manned with 50 experienced employees with a range of skills and education levels such as AL, NDT, BSc & MSc in polymer Sciences.As the Manager, reporting to Director (Technical), was responsible for technical services and R & D activities within the group. Am responsible for R&D team of graduates and postgraduates.Key responsibilities• Supervision and facilitation of R&D projects and process innovations within the group.• Coordination of product-market developments, marketing requests, customer complaints, product certifications and customer queries• Assurance of quality of raw material and improve processes through introducing new efficient raw material• Involved with process engineers to enhance the production output/streamline production lines• Responsible for company IP management, patenting and managing product infringements and complaints.• Supervise and guide undergraduate and postgraduate students (graduate trainees) as an industrial supervisor on their projects.• Managing certifications and monitor/support technical audits and customer audits.• Technical assistance to waste management and effluent management of the groupKey projects completed• Successfully developed 5 patentable products out of which three patent applications are pending approvals• Construction of in house product testing laboratory and implementation of ISO17025• Successful implementation of new product testing for chemical permeation (EN374)• A plant was successfully modified in order to produce a special product to meet new orders

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  Nature's Beauty Creations Ltd

  • Horana, Sri Lanka

  • Head of Research Centre

    • Jul 2010 - Jul 2012
    • Horana, Sri Lanka

    Nature’s Beauty Creations Ltd is one of the most advanced manufacturers, with a state of the art European recognized GMP certified, ISO 9001: 2008 QMS and ISO 14,000: 2004 EMS certified manufacturing facility. With over 250 full time employees, the company has its famous brand “Nature’s Secrets” registered in over 40 countries, available in eight of those and has its own operation in Germany, Ukraine and Bangladesh.As the Head of Research, was responsible for new product developments, conducting medicinal plant research productively to meet new product development requirements in cosmetic applications works of its operation. Following are some of responsibilities & projects completed by me as the Head of Research.1. As my main project, constructed two different laboratories for medicinal plant research and Tissue culture from planning and designing stage to the running conditions.2. Facilitation and driven a team of research scientists to suit research needs for new product developments, 3. Involved in product developments, method developments and improvement of formulations.4. Establish and execute bio-assay models, instrumentation techniques (HPLC, GC) and chemical isolation techniques in the medicinal plant research.5. Established research collaborations with world’s reputed research centers (local and international), planning MOUs and monitoring intellectual properties.6 Supervised and guided undergraduate and postgraduate students (graduate trainees) as a second supervisor on their projects.

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  University of Greenwich

  • Medway School of Sciencce, Kent

  • Assistant Lecturer P/T

    • Jan 2007 - Apr 2010
    • Medway School of Sciencce, Kent

    Organizing and delivering practical classes for 1st, 2nd, 3rd year and MSc students in analytical, instrumentation (NMR and HPLC) biotech and pharmaceutical science laboratories.Supervising and assisting MSc students and undergraduate students on their final year projects.

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  Astron Limited

  • Ratmalana, Sri Lanka

  • Quality Operations Assistant

    • Jul 2004 - Jan 2005
    • Ratmalana, Sri Lanka

    is a company which develops, manufactures, imports and markets quality healthcare products. The company was incorporated in 1956 and was a pioneer in the manufacture of pharmaceuticals and animal healthcare products in Sri Lanka. Over the years the company has progressed to be one of the most reliable healthcare companies in the country, winning respect and admiration.• Worked in the laboratories doing analysis and testing of drugs and Raw materials (Used HPLC, IR spectroscopy, UV/Visible spectroscopy, Dissolution testing, Viscometer, Colorimetry).• Developed analytical methods to be used to check the quality of raw material using IR• Involved in formulation developments, analytical method developments.• Observation of quality of the drugs manufactured, in-process quality control

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  Commercial Bank of Ceylon Ltd

  • Kollupitiya Branch

  • Banking Assistant

    • Jul 2000 - Jan 2001
    • Kollupitiya Branch

    Worked in the credit department, savings department and day-to-day account operations. Left to follow first degree in the University of Colombo, Sri Lanka.(Worked as a school lever before the first degree)