Dilshan Senaratne, Associate Director (Marketing) and Global Head of Talent Marketing & Employer Brand at Virtusa Corporation embodies a leadership philosophy rooted in collaboration, accountability, and inclusivity. For him, leadership is not about hierarchical authority but about fostering a cohesive team dynamic where everyone feels valued and empowered to contribute their ideas.
Central to Dilshan’s leadership approach is the principle of shared success and accountability. He believes in recognizing and celebrating team achievements while also taking responsibility when things don’t go as planned. By embracing a collective mindset, he cultivates an environment where every team member feels invested in the organization’s goals and outcomes.
Accessibility and approachability are pillars of Dilshan’s leadership style. He strives to build strong relationships with his team members, fostering an atmosphere of trust and camaraderie. Through open communication and mutual respect, he encourages a culture where ideas can flow freely, regardless of hierarchy or seniority.
Dilshan recognizes the importance of accommodating diverse work styles, particularly in today’s multi-generational workforce. By creating a flexible and inclusive work environment, he ensures that each team member can thrive and contribute their unique strengths to the team’s success.
A defining aspect of Dilshan’s leadership is his commitment to developing his team members’ skills and capabilities. He actively involves them in projects he manages, providing them opportunities to take ownership and grow professionally. By empowering his team to be proactive and take on new challenges, he prepares them for future leadership roles and fosters a culture of continuous learning and development.
Ultimately, Dilshan views his role as a leader as transient, aiming to build high-performance teams that can operate autonomously. He believes that true leadership lies in making oneself redundant by nurturing capable and self-sufficient teams. Through his inclusive and collaborative leadership approach, he inspires excellence and drives success within his team and the broader organization.
Dilshan’s career journey with diverse experiences and invaluable lessons each contribute to his unique leadership style and ethos. A pivotal moment in his trajectory occurred during his tenure at Triad, where he stepped into the advertising industry. Here, he imbibed a belief in the prowess of the Sri Lankan talent pool, instilled by the organizational ethos that nurtured a culture of global competitiveness from top management down to the junior ranks.
Under the mentorship of Charith, the then Executive Creative Director at Triad, Dilshan imbibed the ethic of being the hardest worker in the room—a principle he continues to uphold steadfastly throughout his career. This early lesson laid the foundation for his relentless work ethic and dedication to excellence, qualities that have become hallmarks of his leadership approach.
Transitioning to Aitken Spence, he gained insights into formalized people management practices, observing leadership dynamics under the guidance of influential figures such as Dr. Fernando, Azam Bakeer Markar, and Rohan Pandithakorralage. Though initially perceiving aspects of their leadership as rigid, Dilshan gleaned invaluable lessons that would later prove instrumental in his role within multinational corporations.
Subsequent stints at WSO2 and Rainco provided Dilshan with diverse perspectives on talent management across industries, from technology to manufacturing. These experiences broadened his understanding of leadership nuances, enriching his repertoire with multifaceted insights gleaned from inspirational leaders he encountered along the way.
Throughout his career journey, Dilshan has remained steadfast in his commitment to continuous learning and growth, drawing inspiration from the dynamic leadership figures he has had the privilege to work with. These formative experiences have shaped his leadership philosophy, imbuing it with a blend of adaptability, resilience, and a belief in the potential of both individuals and organizations to thrive and excel.
Dilshan’s leadership philosophy is deeply rooted in a commitment to continuous learning, a principle he applies both personally and professionally. As a leader with a passion for emerging technology trends and entrepreneurship, he integrates these interests seamlessly into his approach to inspire innovation and adaptability within his teams.
Recognizing the rapid pace of change in today’s work environment, Dilshan emphasizes the importance of ongoing learning for every professional at every level. He leads by example, dedicating his free time to exploring and mastering emerging technologies, and he actively encourages his team members to do the same. By fostering a culture of continuous learning, he ensures that his teams remain agile and well-equipped to navigate the complexities of today’s business landscape.
In addition to individual learning pursuits, Dilshan promotes collaborative knowledge sharing among team members. He creates opportunities for cross-functional collaboration, allowing team members to learn from each other’s expertise and experiences. This approach not only enhances the collective knowledge base of the team but also fosters a sense of camaraderie and mutual support.
Dilshan’s leadership extends beyond traditional boundaries, as he champions a flexible work structure that encourages team members to engage in projects beyond their immediate scope of work. By providing opportunities for diverse experiences and challenges, he empowers his teams to embrace ambiguity and thrive in dynamic environments.
Furthermore, Dilshan is fortunate to be part of a global organization that prioritizes learning and upskilling. In the technology industry, where innovation is paramount, the development of talent is not just an organizational priority but an industry imperative. Dilshan leverages this organizational commitment to provide his teams with access to resources and opportunities for professional growth, ensuring they remain at the forefront of industry trends and developments.
In essence, his leadership philosophy embodies a holistic approach to learning and growth, where curiosity, collaboration, and adaptability are key drivers of innovation and success. By integrating his passions for emerging technologies and entrepreneurship into his leadership approach, he empowers his teams to thrive in an ever-evolving business landscape.
Dilshan’s journey through consulting across diverse industries has endowed him with a unique perspective on leadership adaptability and effectiveness. His background in advertising, journalism, and publishing laid a solid foundation for navigating various stakeholder contexts with ease. Having interfaced with leaders from multifarious sectors early in his career, he gained insights into the intricacies of different industries, which have proven invaluable in his current role.
Central to Dilshan’s leadership in consulting is the fundamental principle of value creation and mobilization. He understands that effective leadership entails facilitating collaboration and ensuring the seamless flow of information across diverse work groups. Drawing from his experiences, he emphasizes the importance of establishing efficient processes and deploying systems that streamline workflows, enabling teams to focus on value-added tasks.
In pursuit of enhanced productivity and innovation, Dilshan has embraced the integration of generative AI tools into his team’s operations. By leveraging automation to handle routine tasks, he liberates his team’s time and energy, empowering them to engage in more creative endeavours and make strategic decisions. This strategic adoption of technology reflects Dilshan’s forward-thinking approach to leadership, where he prioritizes efficiency and innovation to drive business success.
Looking ahead, Dilshan recognizes the evolving landscape of leadership in the era of automation and digital transformation. He believes that leaders must continually reassess their teams’ objectives and leverage technology to optimize workflows and maximize productivity. By embracing change and harnessing the potential of emerging technologies, he ensures that his leadership remains adaptable and effective across diverse stakeholder contexts, positioning his team for sustained success in an ever-evolving business environment.
Dilshan’s outlook extends to the role of marketing and branding in shaping the future trajectory of the Sri Lankan technology industry and its broader impact on the national economy. While acknowledging the exceptional quality of talent within the technology sector, he identifies a critical gap in harnessing the power of marketing and branding to propel local companies onto the global stage.
In the face of escalating competitive pressures regionally and the imperative of economic growth, Dilshan underscores the urgent need for innovation and creativity in leveraging marketing and branding strategies to unlock value within the technology industry. He emphasizes that this imperative extends beyond technology to encompass all sectors of the economy, highlighting the pivotal role of marketing practitioners and the creative industry in driving transformative change.
Drawing inspiration from the maxim that “old ways won’t open new doors,” Dilshan envisions a future where Sri Lanka embraces novel approaches to propel its industries forward. He anticipates that the convergence of technology and marketing innovation will unlock new opportunities for local companies to assert their presence on the global stage, driving economic growth and prosperity for the nation as a whole.
In Dilshan’s vision, marketing and branding emerge as powerful catalysts for economic transformation, facilitating the expansion of Sri Lankan businesses into global markets and enabling them to command premium value for their products and services. By embracing this forward-thinking approach, Dilshan envisions a future where Sri Lanka’s technology industry not only competes but thrives on the global stage, contributing significantly to the nation’s economic prosperity and international standing.