Sri Lanka's Ideal Motors Appoints Dilani Yatawaka as Group Managing Director/CEO

By: WE Staff | Monday, 9 June 2025

• Ideal Motors (Pvt) Ltd has announced that Dilani Yatawaka will be stepping into the role of Group Managing Director and CEO.
• She'll start her new role from April 1 and will be the first woman to hold such a high leadership position in the company.

Ideal Motors (Pvt) Ltd, the official distributor of Mahindra vehicles and an important part of Ideal Group in Sri Lanka, has announced that Dilani Yatawaka will step into the role of Group Managing Director and CEO starting from April 1.

This is a historic moment, as she becomes the first woman to hold such a top leadership position in Sri Lanka’s car industry, setting an inspiring example for women in business. With over 25 years of experience in finance and automotive fields, she’s promoted from her previous role as Group Finance Director. Known for her strong leadership skills and her ability to drive operations smoothly, she’s now ready to guide the company into its next phase of growth.

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.”