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Sunrise in Singharaja Rainforest
An award winning picture of sunrise in Singharaja rainforest. This image was adjusted as the best landscape picture at the photographic competition held by Lanka independent photographers association in November 2007.

Anuruddha Bandara
Founder / CEO – Eco Team Pvt Ltd
Joint Founder / CEO – Wild Drift Pvt Ltd
Management Trainer
Eco / Adventure Tourism Consultant
Advisor to the Sri Lanka Tourism Ministry on Adventure Tourism.

Anuruddha Bandara is a well recognized authority in the Eco / Adventure Tourism and Adventure Based Management Training in Sri Lanka and the Asian region.

Being born in Balangoda [160km away from capital city Colombo] in 1969, and educated at the country’s premier school Royal College gave him an opportunity to have and experience leadership / community development projects / out-doors skills, bottom up.

His affinity towards Nature and Rural Community Development resulting in him actively participating in this sphere of work including mega projects like “Raja Sisu Gama” - village development projects while still at school.

Being a senior prefect of the College and the Head Prefect of the Hostel, he had to work closely with pupils from all over the country, from all communities, religions and from various social levels. All these factors have come in useful in his present role as head of an Eco Adventure Tourism service provider and a Trainer.

He started work as a trainee executive in a leading insurance company and rose to be a Sales Manager in a very short time and has 16 years of Senior Managerial / Training / Entrepreneurial experience. The desire towards Nature, Adventure, Eco Tourism and Training inculcated in him from his formative years pushed him to resign from a lucrative post in year 2000 and devote himself full time to these activities.

Presently he spearheads

  • Eco Team Pvt. Ltd – Largest company in Sri Lanka specializing in Nature / Adventure Related Tourism Activities, which operates at 24 locations offering 26 diverse nature and adventure related experiences. Eco Team has pioneered in many alternative living concepts and activities in Sri Lanka and was the first company to be reorganized in this sector by Sri Lanka Tourism authority. They provide services to 60+ national & international tour companies. Further details can be found at www.srilankaecotourism.com

  • Wild Drift Pvt Ltd which created a revolution in adventure based training with a completely new model to conduct management training in the wilderness, celebrated its 5th successful year in operation in July 2006. The company specializes in teamwork and leadership training for the corporate sector in Sri Lanka and globally. Spiced with adventure and nature, its training programs are based on experiential learning to enable today's fast-paced corporate world to meet recurring challenges. Its 100+ list of prestigious clients include Microsoft / National carrier Sri Lankan Airlines, Astrazeneca - Saudi Arabia, Deutsche Bank AG, Shell, Glaxo, Maersk - Pakistan, DHL, MAS Group, John Keells Group, Hayleys Group, Richard Peiris Group, Hirdaramani Group, Save The Children, MMA Company of France, and Care International. www.wilddrift.com

Memberships in Professional Associations

A member of the Hotel & Catering International Management Association [HCIMA]

In addition he contributes actively towards his chosen field by holding office in the following:

  • A member of the National Olympic Committee.
  • The Secretary General of Adventure Operators Association of Sri Lanka.
  • The Secretary General of National Association of Canoeing and Kayaking in Sri Lanka.
  • Member of the Adventure Sub Committee – Sri Lanka inbound tour operators association.
  • Committee member – Field Ornithology Group of Sri Lanka. 2003 & 2004

National & International contributions in Nature & Adventure Tourism and Management Training.

Holds more than 240 days of management training experience.

Member of the 3-year National Tourism Strategic planning initiative for Sri Lanka Tourism – October 2006

Invitee for the 3 Day planning session on a national Destination Management System [DMC] and information and communication Technologies [ICT] framework for Tourism, organized by UNCTAD with the support of GTZ – October 2006

Participant in the National Symposium on Eco Tourism & Sri Lanka: Challenges and opportunities organized by the Department of Wild Life conservation – Sri Lanka - July 2006

Member of the Tourism Development core-group in Sri Lanka initiated by the Chartered Institute of Marketing / Sri Lanka Institute of Marketing – 2006 / 2007

Faculty member of the steering committee if UNDP funded Uva Province Tourism Development Master Plan.

Selected consultant to USAID in developing national trekking trails. [Currently under implementation]

Represented Sri Lanka in Commonwealth forum in Youth development – Rajasthan India 2005 and presented paper on Adventure Tourism in Sri Lanka and its trends.

Invitee at the Daily Telegraph adventure show – Olympia London in 2004 to represent Sri Lanka’s Adventure perspective.

Represented Sri Lanka as an Observer in the Asian Canoe Confederation Congress – October 2003 – Bhopal India,

Facilitated the training intervention which was adjusted ad the World’s Best Individual Development Programmme in 2001.This was conducted by Junior Chamber International.

  • Adventure in Sri Lanka
  • Agriculture
  • Ancient Ruined Cities
  • Birds
  • Main historical and cultural locations
  • Sri Lankan people & way of life










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    Previous work Experience

    Sales & Marketing Executive at Aitken Spence Insurance Ltd [Branch office of Union Assurance Ltd] from 1989 to 1995. During his first year at Aitken Spence he was given thorough product / service training and was also trained in selling techniques. During this period he was responsible for prospecting clients and canvassing sales for the company. Thereafter he was entrusted with the responsibility of recruiting, training, and monitoring a field sales force. This work involved conducting of seminars and product awareness programmes and travelling with sales officers to meet clients in order to assisting and access their performance.

    When 4 shareholders of Union Assurance Limited decided to merge, he was absorbed to UAL as an Assistant Sales Manager and was promoted as a Sales Manager in 1997

    During the first year at UAL he was responsible for recruiting training monitoring a field sales force of nearly 130 including Assistant Sales Managers, Executives, Development Officers and Insurance Representatives.

    His team has been always successful in achieving all targets and winning a large number of awards in competitions.

    As a senior member of the Union Assurance’s training panel for 8 years he has trained thousands of staff all over the country on Team Work / Communication Skills / Motivational Techniques / Leadership and direct subject matters in Marketing / Sales & Insurance.

    Work related training

    He has endeavoured to enhance skills and knowledge by attending numerous training programmes in Management / Marketing / Training etc. in Sri Lanka & abroad.

    Some of the key programmes are

    04 day “Train the Trainer” programme conducted by Commercial Union Inc Singapore.
    05 day Training programme on service led marketing by Marketing Technologies International.
    Certificate programme on Team Building by Canning International Management Development Company – London
    06 Day Training Programme on “Improving you as professional sales person” by AJP Advisor – Singapore
    Certificate programme on Better Marketing Through Applied Science by Limra International USA
    Certificate programme on Delegation & Motivation by ESL Training & Conventions.

    Extra Curricular contribution at College level

    Senior Prefect of the College – 1987 / 1998. The highest recognition that a student can get in the college in leadership aspects.

    Actively involved in the Royal College United Nations Club from 1981 to 1987 and held positions of Secretary and Chairman in 1986 & 1987 respectively. Notable achievements during his term in office were the complete development of two under-developed villagers in Ratnapura and Agalawatte. Ratnapura Project Rajasisugama, which included 68 houses / Community Centre / shrine room stands as the biggest community development project ever done by a school even after 20 years.

    Head prefect (1987) and the Prefect Advisor (1998) of the College Hostel.

    Winner of the Maligawa Borders Prize for the best all-round hosteller in 1987.

    1. FULL NAME:

    • S.A. Anuruddha Bandara

    2. ADDRESS:

    • No 20/52, Fiar Filed Gardens , Colombo 8
      Sri Lanka.

    3. CONTACTS:

    4. DATE OF BIRTH:

    • 24th February 1969

    5. NATIONALITY:

    • Sri Lankan

    6. LANGUAGE PROFICIENCY:

    • English & Sinhala

     

     
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