Second MBA for Wittenborg's New Head of Operations

27.07.2019

"Balancing Work, Studies and Family Came Down to Good Time Management"

WUAS' new Head of Operations, Lasantha de Silva, received his second master's degree at the university's 2019 Summer Graduation Ceremony, along with fellow master's and bachelor's graduates from all over the world.

Following his MA in Leadership, Innovation and Change Management at UK-based York St John University in 2015, De Silva did a MBA in Finance at Wittenborg the past year. Once again, he had to balance work with studies and spending quality time with his wife and two daughters, who proudly supported him at the graduation ceremony on Friday.

"My first master's degree was more academic and the second one more practical, meaning this time around I had more industry exposure." How did he manage such a fine balancing act? "It is all about time management. I was quite strict about that." He does admit to having to survive on less sleep, however.

De Silva worked in the Middle East banking sector before coming to Wittenborg in 2007 to complete an IBA in Financial Services Management with Honours. Upon graduation, he started as a junior lecturer at Wittenborg, and by the time he left in 2012 he was the institution's first Education Operations Manager.

Upon returning to Sri Lanka, he took a position as Director of Higher Studies at the University of London’s programmes in Sri Lanka, while also teaching on the London School of Economics' BSc programme. From there, he was head-hunted as COO by a company working exclusively with Scotland’s Heriot Watt University – one of Britain’s top-ranked universities.

De Silva was also the founding CEO of Monash University's operations in Sri Lanka- Universal College Lanka.Monash. A position he held for two years.

In the beginning of 2018, he joined Wittenborg again as Director Assistant while completing his MBA. Next up for him is doing an equally demanding Postgraduate Certificate in Teaching and Learning in Higher Education, offered in conjunction with Wittenborg's partner institute in the UK, the University of Brighton. He also intends to do a PhD later on.