Ideal Motors Welcomes Dilani Yatawaka as Group Managing Director/CEO in Sri Lanka

• Ideal Motors (Pvt) Ltd made the announcement of Dilani Yatawaka taking the position of Group Managing Director/CEO
• Her tenure will start from April 1, making her the first ever woman to carry such a top leadership position

Ideal Group’s key part and Mahindra vehicles’ official distributor Sri Lanka, Ideal Motors (Pvt) Ltd has announced that Dilani Yatawaka will take over as Group Managing Director/CEO starting April 1. This step turns out to be a big moment which makes Yatawaka the first woman to hold this top leadership role in car industry of Sri Lanka, setting an inspiring example for women in business.

With more than 25 years of experience in finance and automotive sectors, she’s moving up from her role as Group Finance Director. She’s known for her strong leadership and ability to drive operations, and now she’s ready to lead the company into its next chapter.

In addition, she earned her credentials as a Fellow Member of the Institute of Chartered Accountants of Sri Lanka (FCA), being a proud alumna of St. Bridget’s Convent in Yatawaka. She also became a Fellow Member of both the Chartered Institute of Management Accountants UK (FCMA, UK) and the Institute of Certified Management Accountants Sri Lanka (FCMA). Besides, she obtained her Certified Management Accountant (CIMA) qualification. She started her career at Ernst & Young before moving on to join Associated Motorways (AMW) as a Financial Controller, eventually rising to the position of Group Finance Director.

Moreover, Nalin Welgama, the Founder and chairman of Ideal Group said, “Dilani’s strategic vision and resilience were instrumental in Ideal Motors’ turnaround. Her success in revitalizing our after-market business and her unwavering commitment to our team—made her the natural choice to lead the company into its next decade of growth. Her appointment as the first female MD/CEO in Sri Lanka’s automotive sector is a proud moment for our industry.”