Curriculum Vitae

Saman Priyantha De Silva

** ***** (Male)

Mobile : +94-763****** /+94-779******

Email : ad4yro@r.postjobfree.com

Address : No. 624/3E, Sarasavi lane, Govinna Mawatha, Athurugiriya, Sri Lanka

Food Quality Assurance, Production, and Research & Development Professional

Highly efficient, methodical, and talented production, QA, R&D, and factory manager who has considerable experience in developing and implementing effective quality control processes and structures in food manufacturing and corporate environments.

Educational Background

1. M.Sc. Degree in Food Science and Technology - University of Sri Jayewardenepura, Sri Lanka

2. B.Sc. Degree (Biological Science) Botany, Chemistry and Zoology – University of Ruhuna, Sri Lanka

3. Diploma course in Quality Management, Sri Lanka Standards Institute

4. Quality Management Systems Lead Auditor training course, Nigel Bauer Associates with Sri Lanka Standard Institution

Short courses followed:

1. Courses in ISO 9000 series of standards, preparation of Quality Manual and Internal Audit.

2. Course in statistical sampling techniques and Inspection.

3. Course in Laboratory Quality Management from Sri Lanka Standards Institution.

4. Course in transition to ISO 9001 :2000 Quality Management System.

5. Five - day course in ISO 9001:2000 IRCA certified auditor / lead auditor training program.

6. Course in implementation of ISO 9000: 2000 Version, and ISO 22000:2005 version.

Work Experience

Research and Development Manager (May 2023 – Present)

Lanka Spice (Pvt) Ltd (Head office): Makumbura, Pannipitiya, Sri Lanka – One of the foremost producers in Sri Lanka specializing in a wide array of spices, both in dry and jar forms.

The product range covered include ground spices, whole seeds, curry mixtures, meat curry and fish curry mixtures, chutneys, pickles, Chinese chili paste, garlic paste, assorted jar products, sauces, curry pastes, and fruit drinks.

Duties and Responsibilities

1. New product development as requested by the marketing department or management.

2. Directly supervise the research and development team and career development activities.

3. Keep close liaisons with external institutes such as research stations, universities, and other statutory bodies with regard to quality assurance and R&D aspects.

4. Anticipate product problems and take corrective action.

5. Develop and maintains specifications for raw materials, packing materials, and finished goods, and documentation of all process parameters, and implements them within both factories.

6. Liaise with relevant internal parties to solve relevant technical matters (e.g., manufacturing team, quality team, CEO, MD, export officer, purchasing officer).

7. To take necessary corrective or preventive actions for external and internal customer complaints

8. Develop new strategies to optimize the raw material cost and manufacturing process.

9. Test new trial products in the lab and develop processing methods in the pilot plant.

10. Improve supplier development with QA and the purchasing department.

11. Monitoring and reporting to the management regarding new product development and new changes needed for the operational functions, including participating in strategic meetings.

Factory Manager Cum Production and & Development Manager (June 2013 – April 2021)

Shaw Wallace Ceylon Limited, Colombo (Subsidiary Company of Renuka Group PLC) - A leading extruded product, texturized soya extrusion, spices, dairy products and canned fish manufacturing company in Sri Lanka.

The product range includes dry extruded products such as spices and rice seasoning mixtures, curry mixtures, extruded snacks, fried snacks, dairy products, texturized soya extrusion and packing, aseptic canning for fish and curry fish, as well as jackfruit and breadfruit canning. Additionally, confectionery products like powdered drinks, bubble gum (Centerfresh bubble gum), and food coloring and flavoring bottle packing.

Duties and Responsibilities

1. Ensure overall factory operational activities are effectively performed in line with the company’s expectations in order to meet company SOPs and objectives.

2. Provide the necessary knowledge and guidance to the production, engineering, stores, QA, and R&D teams to effectively carry out operational activities.

3. Overseeing the production process, preparing monthly production plans, annual operational budgets, and manpower plan to achieve the monthly sales target.

4. Monitoring and reporting to the board of directors regarding development and new changes needed for the operational functions, including participating in strategic meetings.

5. Manage the team by conducting daily or weekly review meetings and providing regular feedback and guidance on departmental performance in order to achieve the objectives of the company.

6. Responsible for renewing factory mandatory legal and other regulatory requirements such as environmental licenses, fire licenses, and factory trade licenses.

9. Plan raw and packing material requirements to achieve monthly sales targets and to ensure continued production with a minimum stock holding cost.

10. Ensure the production process is carried out as per ISO 9001, ISO 22000, GMPs, and HACCP requirements without major nonconformity.

11. Implement suitable preventive maintenance systems and procedures to ensure the safety of the company’s assets in relation to damages, breakdowns, and destruction that can occur in their normal operation and maintenance.

11. Coordinate and supervise repair and maintenance work and services for the manufacturing support systems in the optimal and most economical way.

12. Conducting research and development work.

13. Involve in preparing and monitoring the monthly factory budget.

Quality Assurance cum Research & Development Manager (2012 - 2013)

Ruhunu Foods (Pvt.) Ltd.- Kandy, Sri Lanka: A leading spice manufacturing company in Sri Lanka.

The product range covered encompasses ground spices, chili powder, crushed chili, whole seeds, curry mixtures, meat curry and fish curry mixtures, string hopper flour, rice flour, table salt, texturized soya products, flour mixtures, instant preparations, garlic powder, onion powder, coffee, chutney, pickle, goraka (Malabar tamarind) paste, thosai mixtures, noodles, and spices-rice seasoning mixtures.

Duties and Responsibilities

1. Assuring the existing quality and Research and development for new products - As the Head of the QA and R&D Department responsible for Quality Control and Quality Assurance of all incoming raw materials, additives, packaging materials, in-process status and finished products in the manufacturing of ground spices, whole seeds, curry mixtures, and flour mixtures.

2. Implement new quality improvement processes, development of new products meeting the product specifications, target production costs and comply with regulatory requirements.

3. Directly supervise the R&D team, including preparation and delivery of staff performance evaluations and career development activities.

4. Keep close liaisons with external institutes such as Research station universities & other statutory bodies with regard to the quality assurance and R&D aspect.

5. Anticipate product problems and take corrective action, establish and maintain policies for documentation of all products.

6. Establish and maintain policies for documentation of all products and review documentation before it is sent out to external customers.

7. Responsible for the Implementation of new quality management systems in the factory.

8. In charge of all functions in the microbiology lab, quality testing lab, and R&D Lab.

Production Manager (Dec 2008 - 2012)

Radiant Confectioners (Pvt.) Ltd. – Sapugaskanda, Sri Lanka

The product range covered include extruded snacks, confectionery products- cup jellies, pudding mixtures, chocolate, wafers and bubble gum.

Duties and Responsibilities

1. Overseeing the production process and ensuring that products are produced in a timely manner and are produced within quality guidelines.

2. Ensuring that production is cost-effective.

3. Ensuring health and safety guidelines are followed.

4. Supervising and motivating workers and ensuring proper training is provided.

5. Conducting R&D work.

6. Maintenance of machinery.

Quality Assurance and Research and Development Manager (Sep 1997 - Dec 2008)

Daintee Limited - Ratmalana - A leading hard-boiled confectionary manufacturer in Sri Lanka.

Product range covered comprises of extruded snacks, wet extruded products - texturized soya extrusion, confectionery products-toffees, hard – boiled sweets, caramel toffees, pectin based products, jujubes, starch based products, chocolates, wafers, compressed tablets, instant pudding mixtures, table -jellies, extruded kurakkan (finger-millet) crunch, cornflakes, lozenges, bubble gum, fully automated deposited candies and breakfast cereal.

Duties and Responsibilities

1. As the Head of the QA and R & D Department, responsible for Quality Control and Quality assurance of all incoming raw materials, additives, packaging material, in process status and finished products in the manufacture of hard-boiled sweets, compressed tablets, chocolates, extruded products and jelly products.

2. Chemist in charge of all functions in the laboratory.

3. R&D manager for in-house continual product development work through applied research.

4. Deputy management representative of the company with respect to the implementation and maintenance of ISO 9000 Quality Management System throughout the group.

5. Secretary of the management review committee, team lead auditor, audit Coordinator for personal training, Trainer and pest controller of the company with respect to ISO - 9001 Quality Management system.

Visiting Lecturer (2007 - 2020)

Department of Food Science and Technology, University of Sri Jayewardenepura, Sri Lanka

Duties and Responsibilities

1. Imparted confectionery expertise to students pursuing BSc. and MSc. programs in Food Science and Technology (Special) through instruction in the English medium.

2. Participation during introduction of course units, practical schedules and conducting student seminars.

3. Provided support in accommodating the students of both BSc and MSc students with industrial placements and final research projects.

Other involvements as a Food Specialist

1. Supervision of research projects at B.Sc (Agriculture special) and B.Sc. (Food science & technology special) degree level attached to the following universities.

(a). Department of Food Science and Technology and Faculty & Livestock and fisheries and nutrition, Wayamba University, Makandara, Gonawila, Sri Lanka

(b). Department of Food Science and Technology, University of Sri Jayewardenepura, Sri Lanka

(c). Department & Agriculture University of Ruhuna, Sri Lanka

Area of research included food hygiene, functional foods, breakfast cereals, process development technologies.

2. A research was carried out to develop a supplementary biscuit for infants with the assistant of Wayamba University, Sri Lanka.

3. A research was carried out to develop a supplementary food for infants with assistant of Ruhuna University, Sri Lanka.

4. A research was carried out to develop a kurakkan (finger – millet) based breakfast cereal for diabetic patients with the collaboration of ITI (Former CISIR) and presently marketed under Daintee Limited, Sri Lanka. It was awarded the “Most Innovative Product & Product with Local Raw Material” in 2007 by the Sri Lanka Food Processors Association.

5. Conducted a 6-month project at Sri Lanka Standards Institution to prepare HACCP manual and related documents with respect to the implementation of HACCP Quality Management system and ISO 22000:2005 in the Daintee group of companies.

6. A research was carried out to develop rice-based supplementary foods for preschool children in Sri Lanka with the collaboration of University of Jayewardenepura leading to a PHD.

7. Worked in a research team - Department of Food Science and Technology, Faculty & Agriculture University of Peradeniya, Sri Lanka in 2008, to investigate the Glycemic Index properties of finger millet (Kurakkan) based breakfast cereal.

As a University academic and a researcher, I have been engaged in lecturing and developing course units for undergraduate food science special students including subject-specific areas such as food product and process technologies, confectionery and beverage products. Also, I was involved in carrying out independent research as well as supervision & research projects at the food science special degree level.

Personal Details

Name in full : Manikkuwadura Saman Priyantha De Silva

Name with initials : M. S. P. D. Silva

Date of Birth : 14th October 1971

Age : 52 years

Nationality : Sri Lankan

Sex : Male

NIC No : 712880112V

Civil Status : Married

Non-Related Referees

K.K.D.S Ranaweera Prof.Indira Wicramasinghe

Senior Professor and Chair Professor Faculty of Applied Sciences

Department of Food Science and Technology University of Sri Jayewardenepura

University of Jayewardenepura Office : +94 112 801 07

Mobile : +94-712****** Mobile : +94-716-***-***

Hereby, I certify that above-provided information is true and accurate to the best of my knowledge.

11.04.2024

Date Saman Priyantha De Silva

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