Speakers*

JAMES BALMOND

Moderator

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James graduated from the University of Nottingham with a BA Hons Degree in French Linguistics, moving into the advertising world in 2007. Over the next 7 years he evolved into a senior creative copywriter, brand guardian and Creative Director, working on brands including Disney, Toyota, Lexus, Puma, Citroen, Nissan and Starbucks. In 2015, James joined Balmond Studio as Creative Director exclusively. He is responsible for the development of brand infrastructure and communication as well as conceptual and strategic growth throughout the organisational network.

ANOMA WIJEWARDENE

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A contemporary artist whose work encapsulates her passion for sustainability, diversity, inclusivity, transformation, unity and climate change. Anoma’s art has been displayed internationally at Sotheby's Hong Kong show 2016 and the Venice Biennale 2019 and at galleries in London, Dubai, New Delhi, Singapore, Kuala Lumpur, Sydney and in Sri Lanka as well. She is an alumni and former lecturer at Central Saint Martins.​

RUCHI JEYANATHAN

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Ruchi Jeyanathan is a practicing architect and interior designer. Originally hailing from India, she graduated from the School of Planning and Architecture, New Delhi, where she started her career in architectural practise before relocating to Sri Lanka in the early 90s. She counts over twenty years of active practise in Sri Lanka, is a director and head of design at The Contemporary Design Studio Pvt Ltd.  and a self-confessed ‘disruptor’ of design and process oriented conversations in architecture.

AZARA JALEEL

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A Founder & Editor-in-Chief of ARTRA Magazine, Sri Lanka’s  Contemporary Art Magazine established in 2012 with the aim of celebrating visual/ performance/ applied written art whilst strengthening the growth of the local art ecosystem and industrial footprint. ARTRA collaborates with leading local and international art festivals, corporates and cultural partners to ensure the growth of the local art scene in promoting a cultural economy.

Speakers*

Russell Miranda

Executive Creative Director, Dentsu Grants

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Russell Miranda graduated from the Sir J.J. Institute of Applied Art, University of Mumbai. He cut his teeth in the business as an Art Director at Grant Bozell in the early 90s. He is currently the Executive Creative Director for Dentsu Grant in Sri Lanka. He has worked in McCann offices in Bangkok, Madrid, and New York. He is also the recipient of the McEd Leadership Scholarship. Russell brings with him a vast experience of strategic creative direction. Over the years, he has worked on most of the leading local and international brands in Sri Lanka. His portfolio of work include: SriLankan Airlines, UNICEF, Nescafe, Lion Beer, Sampath Bank, Poppy Day, Keells Foods, Women in Need, Unilever, China Doll and Rocell.

Ralston Joseph

Director, Popkorn 

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Ralston Joseph is an advertising professional with 14 years experience, and has been lecturing and mentoring students for 8 years in Creative Writing, Ideation, Branding & Identity. He also trains agencies, marketers and startups in branding, communication strategy, digital thinking, and judging creative.

Tarisha De Alwis Mederipitiya

Founder, TC    

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Tarisha has an innate flair for design, a skill she has passionately cultivated since beginning her career over 15 years ago at Grant McCann Erikson, one of Sri Lanka’s leading creative agencies. She subsequently graduated from the Raffles International College in Thailand, with a BA in Visual Communication, and joined Triad Advertising upon her return to Sri Lanka, where she served as Associate Group Head. She also represented Sri Lanka at the Young Lions Competition in Cannes, France in 2012. Tarisha is currently the Co-Founder of TC, a boutique creative and branding consultancy, based out of Sri Lanka. 

Rommel Arumugam

Creative Group Head at Wunderman Thompson

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I’ve been in advertising for over 12 years now – My passion for it started in Illustration and Design. My career began at the Grant group as a Junior Art Director and I’m now a Creative Group Head at Wunderman Thompson. I’m a huge Star Wars and Tolkien nerd, I build Terrariums, I construct acoustic guitar pedalboards and I love learning about the inner workings of the universe and the human mind. I also have quite the soft spot for memes that walk the fine line of “Hahah” and “Can they say that?”.

Tehani Walpola

Junior Art Director,

Magic Mango

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My passion is to make positive changes in people's lives through design. Having begun my career in graphic design and visual communication at the Academy of Design, Northumbria and graduating with 1st class honours. I had the opportunity and great honour to have been chosen to represent Sri Lankan talent at Spikes Creative Academy 2019 in Singapore, enabling me to foster new connections with young creative professionals from all over Asia.

Janath Gamage

Art Director, Publicis Groupe

- Singapore

Moderator

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Janath Gamage, also known as ‘Jay’, is an internationally award-winning Art Director. Currently working for Leo Burnett/Publicis Groupe in Singapore. Ranked No.38th Designer in the Global Creative Rankings by the Art Directors Club in 2019, the first ever Sri Lankan to be invited and inducted to the Art Directors Club (New York Chapter), and currently the No.1 ranked creative in Sri Lanka by Campaign Brief Asia, his work has gone on to win accolades such as Sri Lanka’s first ever D&AD Impact pencil, and in many other prestigious award shows.

Chani Perera

Program Manager, Visual Communications  & Motion Graphics and Animations, AOD

Forum Curator

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Ruchi Jeyanathan is a practicing architect and interior designer. Originally hailing from India, she graduated from the School of Planning and Architecture, New Delhi, where she started her career in architectural practise before relocating to Sri Lanka in the early 90s. She counts over twenty years of active practise in Sri Lanka, is a director and head of design at The Contemporary Design Studio Pvt Ltd.  and a self-confessed ‘disruptor’ of design and process oriented conversations in architecture.

Speakers*

HELEN MOLESWORTH

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Helen has a broad and international commercial and academic background in the gem and jewellery industry, having worked with the trade, gemmological laboratories, and auction houses across Europe and Asia. During ten years as a jewellery specialist for Sotheby’s and Christie’s in London and Geneva, Helen handled, researched and valued many world class gems and important and royal collections.

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Topic: History of the Gem and Jewellery Industry of Sri Lanka

ANDREW LUCAS

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With 35 years of experience in the gem and jewelry industry, Andrew is an owner of an independent gem and jewelry company focused on creating custom designed jewelry and cut gemstones incorporating diamonds, colored gemstones, high karat gold, and antiquities selling jewelry both wholesale and retail. Also manufacturing, dealing, and brokering colored gemstones and antique jewelry. He has 28 years experience in gemological education at the Gemological Institute of America lecturing, course development, supply chain research, field gemology, and mine-to-market gemology.

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Topic: Mine-to-Market

ARMIL SAMMOON

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Armil is a fifth generation gem merchant who has played an integral role in the Sri Lankan market by spearheading the gemstone industry towards global innovation and development. As a board member of the National Gem & Jewellery Authority, Sri Lanka Gem & Jewellery Association, Federation of Chambers of Commerce and Industry of Sri Lanka and FACETS he has tirelessly projected Sri Lanka as a key source & manufacturing nation for gemstones with sustainable production.

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Topic: Gem Cutting and Processing

RUI GALOPIM DE CARVALHO

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Rui Galopim de Carvalho FGA DGA is a Gem Education Consultant based in Portugal with a vast experience in the study of gem-set artefacts of historical heritage in National Museums and private collections, being author of several books and articles on the subject and currently serving as consultant for the future Portuguese Royal Treasury Museum.

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Topic: Jewellery Manufacturing and Craftsmanship

RICHA GOYAL SIKRI

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A connoisseur of gems and jewellery, Richa started curating and executing educational ‘Gem Journeys’ to mines, manufacturing hubs, artist studios, and museums in 2013. The objective: to learn and become a discerning collector, and share knowledge with others with similar interests. Within a few short years, she acquired a loyal group of gem-lovers who started travelling with her

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Topic: Storytelling in today's world (Digitization)

JAMES BALMOND

Moderator

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James graduated from the University of Nottingham with a BA Hons Degree in French Linguistics, moving into the advertising world in 2007. Over the next 7 years he evolved into a senior creative copywriter, brand guardian and Creative Director, working on brands including Disney, Toyota, Lexus, Puma, Citroen, Nissan and Starbucks. In 2015, James joined Balmond Studio as Creative Director exclusively. He is responsible for the development of brand infrastructure and communication as well as conceptual and strategic growth throughout the organisational network.

Hania Halabi

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Hania Halabi is a Palestinian Architect ( Bsc, MA, ARB, RIBA), registered in the Architects Registration Board and a Chartered Member of the Institute of British Architects. She joined Balmond Studios in January 2016 as the personal research assistant for Cecil Balmond OBE, to help with his last research about a new theory of form. By the end of 2012, she moved to working on architectural projects within the studio, which range in program and scale from a small pavilion to complex integrated resort. Prior to that Hania worked as an Architect at Senan Abdelqader Architects in Jerusalem for 18 months, practicing in three major competitions, one of which was given an honor prize.

Yamuna Jayaratne

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Yamuna Jayaratne is a marketing professional and Real Estate expert with over 20 years of experience predominantly in foreign owned and global real estate companies.  She has held senior management positions for over a decade and currently serves at the Director for Sales and Marketing for CHEC Port City Colombo. She is also the mother of two and an avid art enthusiast.

Amy Yang

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A book author and blogger lives in Colombo, the one who writes Sri Lanka most in Chinese Language. 7 books pubished and with more than one million follower in China. Chief Media Officer for Chinese Chamber of Commerce in Sri Lanka

M.Sc. (Lond.), Dip.Arch.(UCL), B.Sc.Built Environment, AIA(SL)1993.

Partner MICD Associates    

Graduated in 1991 and joined the architectural consultancy of Geoffrey Bawa, and in1998, founded MICD Associates in partnership with Murad Ismail. The practice makes architecture that is appropriate to site climate and culture using to advantage the materials of everyday construction. The practice is based in Sri Lanka with much of the work built on the island, but several projects have also been completed on the Indian Ocean rim.