Valentine Gnanakan
Pitakotte
Summary
Experienced Certified Lean Six Sigma and TPM Practitioner with a strong background in data analysis. Over a decade of expertise in Business Process Transformation across diverse industries including apparel manufacturing, medical and industrial glove manufacturing, automobile, healthcare hospitality, and telecommunication. Brings strong problem-solving skills and proactive approach to new tasks. Known for adaptability, creativity, and results-oriented mindset. Committed to making meaningful contributions and advancing organizational goals.
Overview
14
14
years of professional experience
1
1
Certification
Work History
Head of Lean Six Sigma & Cost Rescaling Strategy
Dialog Axiata
01.2025 - Current
- Self-motivated, with a strong sense of personal responsibility.
- Worked effectively in fast-paced environments.
- Drive organisation wide deployment of Lean Six Sigma & up skilling people competency
- Drive organisation wide continuous improvement initiatives
- Build culture for continues process improvement
- Analyze cost rescaling opportunities across the division and subsidiaries and drive the respective cost rescaling projects with the stakeholders while monitoring and reporting the progress to senior management.
- Assess the financial health of the servicing subsidiaries by analysing financial performance and cost drivers and provide management insights as well as budget control, financial governance and value creation
- Govern and drive the Group Loyalty Cost Optimization ensuring alignment with the overall divisional value creation
- Continuously assess the Group Loyalty Function for potential risks, revenue leakages and potential fraud and strengthen policies and processes while ensuring mitigation procedures are put in place.
- Drive group loyalty revenue and growth opportunities by continuously analysing customer behaviour trends along with the analytics team and providing insights to the segment managers to formulate growth strategies
Senior Manager - Lean Six Sigma & User Experience Design
Dialog Axiata PLC
04.2021 - Current
- Heading the Process Excellence, Service Integration and Lean Six Sigma Function for the Group Service Delivery Function
- Driving the Cost Rescaling Strategy for the Group Service Delivery Function
- Policy and Process development for new processes and products
- Spearheading working committee groups dedicated towards service excellence
- Developing Training materials for Lean Six Sigma Training
- Involvement in Customer Journey Mapping for all touch points and products and services
- Achievements/Tasks
Unit Manager - Lean Six Sigma & Operational Excellence
Dialog Axiata PLC
11.2018 - 03.2021
- Designing of new operational processes and revamping of existing processes
- Involved in the Cost Rescaling Strategic initiatives of the Group Service Delivery Function
- Statistical analysis of group key performance indicators for target setting and benchmarking
- Statistical performance validation and performance forecasting for the group sub units
- Training and certifying Lean Six Sigma Yellow and Green Belts
- Execution of Lean Six Sigma projects for all units of the Group Service Delivery Function
- Achievements/Tasks
Senior Specialist - Business Process Improvement
Ansell Lanka Ltd
08.2016 - 10.2019
- Company Overview: Ansell is a global leader in protection solutions. Ansell designs, develops, and manufactures a wide range of hand and arm protection solutions.
- Implementation of Lean processes at the Healthcare Global Business Unit manufacturing facilities
- Driving of Lean Six Sigma projects for the organization
- Implementing and maintaining 5S and GMP practices within the facilities
- Process waste reduction by using value stream mapping across process functions within the facilities
- Driving the group Kaizen program which features process improvement initiatives generated by the manufacturing associates
- Achievements/Tasks
Manager - Business Process
Emjay International (Pvt) Ltd
01.2015 - 08.2016
- Company Overview: Emjay International is among Sri Lanka’s leading apparel manufacturers and caters to reputed retailers across UK and Europe.
- Leading and managing the Process Improvement Team of the Group
- Identifying and leading key process improvement projects as well as strategic process improvements
- Implementation of process policies and audits as well as group level 5s implementation and sustenance
- Training of associates in Lean Six Sigma for Green and Yellow Belt certification and process improvement basics
- Achievements/Tasks
Process Improvement Specialist
Emjay International (Pvt) Ltd
10.2013 - 12.2014
- Identifying, leading and managing special projects to accomplish measurable business process improvements
- Defining and implementing the required KPI’s to manage the processes in required areas
- Responsible for change management as well as the implementation of new processes to ensure an errorfree and efficient operation
- Responsible for LEAN and Six Sigma Training of associates including the senior management team of the company
- Responsible for carrying out process audits to ensure strict adherence to process
- Achievements/Tasks
Consultant - Process Excellence
Brandix i3 (Pvt) Ltd
04.2011 - 10.2013
- Company Overview: A vertically integrated solutions provider in branded apparels ranked as the single largest exporter of apparels in Sri Lanka.
- Leading and managing special projects to accomplish measurable business process improvements
- Responsible for defining and implementing the required KPI’s to manage the processes in required areas
- Facilitating Lean Six Sigma training for group associates
- Achievements/Tasks
Education
Lean Six Sigma Master Black Belt - Lean Six Sigma
Six Sigma Management Institute Asia
ColomboLean Six Sigma Black Belt - Lean Six Sigma
BMG Inc
India2012
Foundation Certificate In Business Analysis - Business Analysis
BCS
Colombo2021
Foundation Certificate in Agile - Agile Methodologies
BCS
Colombo2021
Total Preventive Maintenance (TPM) - Total Preventive Maintenance (TPM)
Institute of Lean Management
Colombo2018
Skills
- Lean Six Sigma methodology
- Data-driven decision making
- Agile methodology expertise
- Operational efficiency enhancement
- Client journey visualization
- Strategic business planning
- Teamwork and collaboration
- Customer service
- Analytical problem-solving
Certification
- Lean Six Sigma Black Belt, BMG University India, 2012-11, India
- TPM Practitioner Certification, Institute of Lean Management, 2018-10, Sri Lanka
- Associate Degree in Information Technology, Australian College of Business and Technology, 2007-07, Australia
- Certified City & Guilds Trainer, City & Guilds, 2021-02, UK
- BCS Foundations in Agile and BA, BCS, 2021-12, UK
Accomplishments
- Highest year on year cost savings because of the Cost Rescaling Strategy Drive in the division (2018 - Present)
- Combined cost savings of over 1.5Mn USD since DOJ in validated savings through cross functional projects being driven and validated at Dialog Axiata PLC
- Achievement of COPC Certification for the Customer Interaction Center (2019 - Present)
- Driving the customer interaction center and implementing process audits as well as driving lean six sigma projects to reduce variation in CSAT and DSAT and thereby obtaining COPC Certification for Dialog Axiata PLC
- Highest year on year cost savings from Lean Six Sigma Projects year on year (2016 - 2018)
- Lean Six Sigma project waves spanning every quarter involved all associates of the group. The project drive which was instrumental in material and manpower savings generated cumulative savings of 800K USD at Ansell Lanka
- Vehicle Repair Cycle Time Reduction (2012 - 2013)
- Project carried out at United Motors PLC, the agent for Mitsubishi Motors in Sri Lanka. Revamped the layout of the collision repair facility and reducing the repair cycle time of minor damages from 14 days to 6 days during the tenure at Brandix i3.
Affiliations
- BCS
- ILM
Hobbies
- Cycling
- Swimming
- Long Distance Running
- Historical Documentaries
- Music
Timeline
Head of Lean Six Sigma & Cost Rescaling Strategy
Dialog Axiata
01.2025 - Current
Senior Manager - Lean Six Sigma & User Experience Design
Dialog Axiata PLC
04.2021 - Current
Unit Manager - Lean Six Sigma & Operational Excellence
Dialog Axiata PLC
11.2018 - 03.2021
Senior Specialist - Business Process Improvement
Ansell Lanka Ltd
08.2016 - 10.2019
Manager - Business Process
Emjay International (Pvt) Ltd
01.2015 - 08.2016
Process Improvement Specialist
Emjay International (Pvt) Ltd
10.2013 - 12.2014
Consultant - Process Excellence
Brandix i3 (Pvt) Ltd
04.2011 - 10.2013
Lean Six Sigma Master Black Belt - Lean Six Sigma
Six Sigma Management Institute Asia
Lean Six Sigma Black Belt - Lean Six Sigma
BMG Inc
Foundation Certificate In Business Analysis - Business Analysis
BCS
Foundation Certificate in Agile - Agile Methodologies
BCS
Total Preventive Maintenance (TPM) - Total Preventive Maintenance (TPM)
Institute of Lean Management
Similar Profiles
Thathsara KannangaraThathsara Kannangara
Network Engineer at Dialog Axiata PLCNetwork Engineer at Dialog Axiata PLC
Sujeepan NagaratnamSujeepan Nagaratnam
Assistant Retail Experience Centre Manager at Dialog Axiata PLCAssistant Retail Experience Centre Manager at Dialog Axiata PLC
Shanil SovisShanil Sovis
Account Manager at Dialog Axiata PLCAccount Manager at Dialog Axiata PLC
Waruni PrasangaWaruni Prasanga
Import Export Documentation Executive at NMI Infra (Pvt) LtdImport Export Documentation Executive at NMI Infra (Pvt) Ltd
Guillermo CarrilloGuillermo Carrillo
Lean Six Sigma Data Analyst at United States MilitaryLean Six Sigma Data Analyst at United States Military