Ravi Dadlani new MD at CEAT Kelani

CEAT Kelani Holdings has announced the appointment of Ravi Dadlani, a Sri Lankan, as Managing Director of the company with effect from March 1.

Previously Vice President Sales, Marketing and Exports at CEAT Kelani, a company he has already served for 11 years, Mr Dadlani succeeds Vijay Gambhire, who returns to CEAT Ltd India on completion of his term, the company said in a media release.

The first Sri Lankan Managing Director of CEAT Kelani Holdings, Mr. Dadlani’s appointment comes at a time when the India – Sri Lanka joint venture tyre manufacturer is on the cusp of rapid expan- sion of its product range and manufacturing capacity. In January this year, the company announced a new investment of Rs. 3 billion in its manufacturing operations in Sri Lanka.

“Ravi Dadlani has 25 years of multi- sector experience and has gained an encyclopaedic knowledge of the tyre industry over the last decade,” CEAT Kelani Holdings Chairman Chanaka de Silva said. “He is the ideal candidate to continue the momentum at this juncture when the company is venturing into new product categories and new export markets.”

A marketer by profession, Mr. Dadlani joined CEAT Kelani in 2007 as General Manager Marketing and Sales and went on to become Vice President – Marketing, Sales and Exports. In this capacity he has interacted with policymakers at the highest levels to protect and enhance the contribution of domestic manufacturing industries.

He is also involved with initiatives for the development and sustainability of the rubber industry in Sri Lanka in the capacity of Deputy Chairman of the Sri Lanka Association of Manufacturers and Exporters of Rubber Products (SLAMERP), the apex body of the rubber industry.