When Thushara De Silva, Managing Director of Empire Kenya EPZ Ltd, speaks about leadership and enterprise, there is a deliberate precision in his tone an indication of a professional who has built success not through chance, but through clarity of purpose and disciplined execution. From his beginnings in Sri Lanka’s tea sector to steering one of Kenya’s most dynamic value-added tea exporters, his journey
represents a blend of vision, resilience, and tangible results.
Thushara’s philosophy of leadership was shaped early in his career. He recalls one defining experience when, as a young professional, he was assigned to lead a team considerably more experienced than himself. “That experience taught me that leadership is earned through credibility, fairness, and clarity not authority,” he reflects. It became a lifelong principle. His management approach centres on listening
before acting, empowering people to excel, and anchoring decisions on long-term value rather than short term gains. This approach guided his most decisive career move founding Empire Kenya EPZ Ltd, a venture rooted in the belief that sustainable value creation in the tea industry must begin at the source. “My move was not driven by risk; it was driven by purpose,” he explains. “I didn’t want to merely trade tea; I wanted to build an ecosystem that added value, created employment, introduced innovation, and elevated Kenyan tea on the world stage.”
Having started his professional life at John Keells Ltd and Van Rees Ceylon Ltd in Sri Lanka, Thushara developed a deep understanding of every aspect of the tea trade from auctioneering to export operations. Later, as Country Manager for Van Rees Egypt, he strengthened his international commercial perspective. But it was Kenya that inspired his most ambitious leap. “Every visit reinforced the idea that Kenya was not just another tea origin it was one of the most powerful tea platforms in the world, rich in innovation and opportunity,” he recalls.
That conviction led to the establishment of Empire Kenya. Within a few years, the company evolved from a modest export operation into one of Kenya’s leading value-added tea enterprises. Its performance has been exemplary: the company has created hundreds of direct and indirect employment opportunities, built strong partnerships with local growers, and achieved consistent double-digit growth in export value. Empire Kenya now supplies several international markets across Europe, the Middle East, and North America, standing as a benchmark for how value can be built from origin outward. Thushara attributes much of his leadership discipline to his Sri Lankan heritage. “Sri Lanka taught me three enduring lessons respect for people, discipline in operations, and long-term thinking,” he says. These lessons have shaped Empire Kenya’s management culture. The emphasis on people and relationships has translated into strong retention, supplier loyalty, and enduring partnerships with Kenyan smallholders and cooperatives. “Business is ultimately human,” he adds. “Relationships, humility, and integrity have helped us build trust with government, institutions, and customers alike.”
Discipline and process orientation, learned from Sri Lanka’s highly structured tea environment, became the foundation of Empire Kenya’s efficiency. “Our systems and performance structures were built to international standards from day one,” he notes. This has led to exemplary operational achievements, including 100% export compliance, ISO-certified quality management, and digitally traceable supply
chains a hallmark of trust for international buyers. The third lesson, long-term perspective, continues to shape the company’s strategy. “We do not chase short-term contracts; we build sustainable value chains,” he explains. Empire Kenya’s focus on product innovation and market diversification has enabled it to move beyond commodity trading into branded and private-label segments with higher margins and stronger
consumer engagement.
Establishing and scaling a business across borders inevitably presented challenges. Thushara identifies three key ones navigating Kenya’s complex regulatory environment, building credibility as a new entrant, and aligning cross-cultural teams. “Understanding the regulatory frameworks took time,” he admits. “But we invested in strong legal partnerships and proactive relationships with institutions, turning compliance into a competitive advantage.” Earning market trust required time and consistency. “When you come into a new country, you start at zero,” he says. “I focused on delivering value rather than making promises. Over time, that consistency built credibility.” Today, Empire Kenya enjoys strong brand equity and reputation both locally and internationally a reflection of reliability and performance.
Cultural integration was another strategic focus. “You cannot import culture you must co-create it,” he emphasizes. By combining Sri Lankan operational discipline with Kenyan entrepreneurial energy, the company developed a performance driven yet inclusive organizational culture. “We have Kenyan managers leading Kenyan solutions,” he states. “That empowerment has made our operations more innovative and resilient.” Empire Kenya’s ability to balance global discipline with local relevance has been instrumental in its success. “From Sri Lanka, I brought strong systems, documentation, and export excellence,” Thushara explains. “Those are non-negotiable. But success in Kenya requires localization understanding people, supply dynamics, and market realities.” He summarises this equilibrium succinctly:
“Sri Lanka gave me the structure; Kenya gives me the edge.”
Under his leadership, Empire Kenya has continuously invested in technology, packaging innovation, and digital transformation. The company has introduced advanced packaging facilities and supply-chain visibility systems that meet international buyers’ demands for sustainability and traceability. “Innovation begins at origin,” he asserts. “We develop products from Kenya outward to the world, not the other way around.” This philosophy has established Empire Kenya as a credible African brand built on authenticity,
quality, and performance. Thushara’s vision extends beyond corporate growth; it encompasses an industry-wide transformation. “In Sri Lanka, I want the next generation to see that our heritage in tea is not merely historical, it is an asset that can be modernized and globalized,” he explains. “In Kenya, I want origin value creation to be the standard, not the exception.” His message to young entrepreneurs is
resolute: “Geography is not a limit. Origin is not a boundary. If you understand your craft, remain purpose driven, and build with integrity, you can create global impact from anywhere.” The results of this philosophy are evident. Empire Kenya’s model of origin-based innovation has inspired emerging entrepreneurs across Africa and South Asia to reimagine local industries as global opportunities. For the
broader business community, the company’s success underscores a shift in the narrative: Africa and Asia are not just suppliers they are potential leaders in innovation, branding, and sustainable production. “If we’ve proven anything,” Thushara remarks, “it’s that Africa can lead in value creation and global positioning.”
Looking ahead, his ambitions remain both strategic and legacy-driven. “Professionally, I want Empire Kenya to stand as proof that origin-based value creation is scalable and sustainable,” he says. “If we can continue to expand globally, build brands from Kenya outward, and maintain world-class standards, then the company itself becomes the legacy.” On a personal level, he hopes to influence a generational shift in Sri Lanka’s business mindset. “I want to demonstrate that Sri Lankans can transform heritage knowledge into global relevance anywhere in the world,” he says. “If even a few young entrepreneurs feel empowered to build beyond borders because they saw someone from their own system do it, that will be the most meaningful legacy.”
Today, Empire Kenya stands as one of the region’s most competitive and reputable exporters, recognized for its innovation, compliance, and people-centric culture. Its success demonstrates that when purpose meets discipline, and local insight meets global standards, emerging-market enterprises can compete and lead on the world stage. As Thushara De Silva concludes, “Origin knowledge can be turned into global leadership. And Sri Lanka can lead from wherever opportunity exists not only from home.” His journey is a compelling example of
how results-driven leadership, rooted in authenticity and strategic vision, can transform both a company and an entire industry.