Welcome to Ideal Group
Our Vision
To be the nation’s most diverse & trusted automotive solutions provider – uplifting you towards stability through innovation
Our Mission
At Ideal, we provide a range of commercial vehicles, passenger vehicles and industrial applications, backed by a superior Island-wide customer care service at an affordable price. We believe in attracting and retaining the best talent to deliver on commitment and excellence to bring value and a world class experience by empowering our customers to RISE
Our History
IDEAL Motors (Pvt) Ltd. is a fully owned subsidiary company of the IDEAL Group which has core business interests in Motor Franchise Imports and Motor Spare Parts in Sri Lanka. Since November 2009, IDEAL Motors has been the Sole Authorized Distributor for Mahindra Motor Vehicles and Motor Cycles manufactured by Mahindra & Mahindra Company Ltd. India.
Ideal Motors sold over 50,000 vehicles in the country and today, Mahindra has emerged as the market leader in above one Ton category with over 50% market share, and maintaining 35% market share in below one Ton Category. Ideal Motors Sales Showrooms, Regional Repair centres and authorized service dealers are widespread with Spare part dealers have also been appointed in every city. This network is aimed at facilitating all Mahindra customers with the best possible service at all times.
Since Partnering with Mahindra & Mahindra in 2009, Ideal has expanded the ‘Mahindra’ market share in the popular ‘Light Truck’ segment by nearly 50% in just 7 years, displacing Tata Motors who had been dominant in Sri Lanka for the last 75 years. Apart from attaining market dominance backed by excellent customer service and a dedicated team of professionals, Ideal Group continues to expand within the industry, offering the nation’s a widest range of automotive related services.
Our Board of Directors
Nalin J. Welgama
Founder & Chairman of Ideal Group
Nalin Jayaraj Welgama is a senior Accountant having managed a leading firm of Chartered Accountants in the United Kingdom for several years prior to embarking upon an entrepreneurial function as founder Chairman of Ideal Group. He Conceptualized and found Ideal Plant and Vehicles Ltd UK in 1986, a company engaged in the worldwide export of luxury motor vehicles contractor’s plant and machinery from the UK
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In 1996, with the formation of Ideal Automotive Parts (Pvt) Ltd. the seeds were sown for the establishment of the group which at present comprises of 14 companies, each of which are playing a leading role in their respective business segments. The Group has diversified into Passenger cars, commercial vehicles, heavy machinery, motorcycles, import and distribution of Tyres, financial services, automotive parts and renewable energy and constitutes a combined turnover in excess of Rs. 25 billion annually and employees over 2,000 people.
Nalin J. Welgama is the youngest son of the renowned philanthropist entrepreneur Mr. S. A. Welgama whose name is synonymous with road haulage (transport) in Sri Lanka, a company whose origins date back to 1931
Aravinda De Silva
Deputy Chairman of Ideal Group
An all-time legend in the cricketing world, Aravinda De Silva with an international cricket career spanning over 20 years, is the only cricketer to have scored a century and taken three wickets in a World Cup final. He was instrumental in winning the Cricket World Cup for Sri Lanka in 1996 and was adjudged as Man of the Match on two occasions, in the all-important semi-final and the final. He retired at the pinnacle of his career in 2003 as Sri Lanka’s highest ever run-scorer in Test and ODI, having captained the side many times including the 1991/1992 World Cup.
Aravinda De Silva further continued his association with the game in Sri Lanka, serving in an advisory capacity to Sri Lanka Cricket and the Minister of Sports, as well as being Vice-President of Sri Lanka Cricket, Chairman of Selectors and Cricket Committee on numerous occasions.
Aravinda De Silva joined the Ideal Group of Companies in 2009 where he infused his passion for automobiles and keen acumen for cricket and became a co-partner of the Ideal Group of Companies. He currently serves as the Deputy Chairman of the Group, which represents the global giant Mahindra & Mahindra in the Automotive and Finance sectors.
Aravinda De Silva has been involved in property and infrastructure development in multiple countries. His experience in identifying investment opportunities and as a business strategist in mergers and acquisitions, keeps him actively involved as a private venture capital investor.
Mr. De Silva sits on a number of Executive Boards in the country and in 2017, he was appointed as Chairman of Thomas Cook Lanka (Pvt) Ltd., a fully owned subsidiary of Fairbridge Capital Canada.
Dilani Yatawaka
Group Finance Director
Ms. Dilani Yatawaka, Group Finance Director of the Ideal Group is an experienced finance professional with over twenty years of post qualifying experience in building, leading and advising teams on finance, with a proven track record of contributions leading to improved financial performance and enhanced internal controls.
Prior to joining the Ideal Group, Dilani was the Group Finance Director of Associated Motorways (Private) Limited (AMW), a fully owned subsidiary of the Al Futtaim Group, UAE and was a board Director of three subsidiaries of AMW including the leasing and finance company. Dilani was greatly involved in the restructuring of the AMW Group post the Al Futtaim Acquisition and also provided the required leadership for the implementation of SAP across the Group.
Dilani carried out her article training of four years at Ernst & Young and obtained experience in auditing in various industries across the country.
She is a Fellow Member of the Institute of Chartered Accountants of Sri Lanka, Fellow Member of the Chartered Institute of Management Accountants UK and a Fellow Member of the Certified Management Accountants Sri Lanka.
Nimisha Welgama
Director - Legal & Corporate Affairs
Ms. Nimisha Welgama, Director Legal & Corporate Affairs qualified with LLB honors from the University of Warwick in the U.K., & also completed her Bar Vocational Course attached to Lincoln’s Inn, UK.
Later she moved to Sydney Australia & practiced as a solicitor in Australia gaining experience in many international and blue chip companies at Senior Level. Prior to returning to Sri Lanka she worked at Mills Oakley (Sydney) as Senior Associate – Toxic Torts and prior to that at DLA Piper (Sydney) as Solicitor – Litigation and Dispute Resolution.
Prior to being appointed as Director Legal & Corporate Affairs, Ms Welgama worked as Advisor – Corporate Strategy and New Business Development of the Ideal Group.
Our Management Team
Sharanga Jayatilake
Group Head of Information Technology
Sharanga, possesses over 17 years of experience in the field of IT, inclusive of 14 years in IT Management. He has extensive experience in working for an ISP (Internet Service Provider) company with large scale communication installations such as satellite communications, microwave and fiber. In addition, he also has a wide-spread experience in large-scale system implementations in various sectors such as SL Navy, ICTA, NGOs, private institutes and banks. Sharanga, has a vast knowledge in is agile software implementation.
Prior to taking up the Group Head of IT position at Ideal Group, Sharanga held the position of Manager – Project & Implementation at Ideal Motors (Pvt) Ltd. and successfully implemented IFS ERP to the group of companies with the expansion of the high-availability system infrastructure.
Sharanga, held the position of Head of IT / Systems Engineer at IWS Holdings Group, which is a diversified conglomerate prior to appointment at Ideal Motors. He was able to render his services and expertise to varied sectors across the country, namely, premium automobiles, aviation services, communication and IT, leisure, television broadcast & mass media, shipping, warehousing & logistics and industrial solutions.
He is currently perusing MBA at the University of Colombo. He holds a Bachelor of Engineering degree in Computers, Networking and Communications Technologies awarded by Coventry University (UK), an International Advance Diploma in Network Engineering certified by Informatics Academy and is Certified in RHEL (Red Hat Certified Engineer).
Chandana Sooriyaarachchi
General Manager - Logistics & After Market
With the wide range of accounting background, Mr Chandana has commenced his Accounting carrier at Kreston M N S & Co, a reputed Chartered Accountancy firm, in 1983. After obtaining his practical training stipulated by the Institute of Chartered Accountants of Sri Lanka to obtain his Licentiate level Certificate, he received the senior membership of Association of Accounting Technicians of Sri Lanka in 1988.
Mr Chandana joined with Building Materials Corporation in 1985 and served them as the Accountant and the Internal Auditor. Then he joined the Manufacturing and Garment field where he rendered his service for 8 years in the capacity of an Accountant and the Finance Manager.
Entry to the Automobile field was marked by joining hands with United Motors Group as the Assistant General Manager Logistics and Operations for nearly 7 years where he gained a immense experience in Assembly, PDI, Motor Insurance and Distribution. One year basic training gathered on Workshop Practicing, Welding, Tool machinery, Mill Wright fittings, Elementary Auto & Power Electricity at Ceylon German Technical Training Institute helped him a lot to perform the tasks in the post at TVS Lanka (Pvt) Ltd. Mr Chandana joined Ideal Motors (Pvt) Ltd as the Manager Logistics in 2010 and presently manages the After Market and Logistics divisions of the Company in the capacity of General Manager.
Malaka Vehalla
Deputy General Manager - Mahindra Corporate and Tender Business
Mr. Malaka Vehalla joined Ideal Group on 1st January 2012 to start the Mahindra Two Wheeler operation and he was the head of Ideal 2 Wheelers at the capacity of Deputy General Manager for four and a half years. Currently he is serving for Ideal Motors heading the Mahindra Truck & Bus operation. He counts over 15 years’ experience in automobile with total of 25 years of sales and marketing experience.
Malaka was previously attached to TVS Lanka as the National Sales Manager. Prior to TVS Lanka he has served for St. Antony’s consolidated and Metropolitan Group. Throughout his career he has gain lot of experience in the fields of sales & marketing, dealer network and distribution management.
He has done his higher studies at Open University of Sri Lanka and Sri Lanka Institute of Marketing.
Nadisha Perera
Group Head Of Supply Chain
Nadisha is heading the Group Supply Chain since 2018 April, in order to align Imports into strategic business direction while supporting 500+ staff across the group. After his secondary education he has done some courses and diplomas such as Diploma in International trade, Shipping and Logistics – Institute of Commercial Studies & Followed International Purchasing and Supply Chain Diploma which was conducted by WTO (World Trade Organization, Geneva). He started his career as a Wharf Clerk and exposure nearly 23 years in the corporate sector up to now. Prior to the present position, he was attached with the Manager Logistics – Diesel and Motor Engineering PLC (November 2000 to April 2018).
In Dimo, he was responsible for total Logistics Operation of Air/sea freight Imports, exports, Transshipments, entreport, Ro-Ro vehicle clearance, Projects, fertilizer, placing of orders, foreign payment methods and bank procedures related to overseas business, Medical equipment and Bond shipments etc. Liaised with customs, banks, BOI, SLPA, shipping lines, out-source brokerage parties, freight forwarders and building up of good working relationship to have a smooth operation