Eshan Perera, CPIM

Experience

• 

  Unilever

  Feb 2010 - Aug 2010

  Engineering Trainee - Manufacturing

  Concentrated heavily on Thermal Engineering aspects related to the generation, conversion, distribution and end usage of thermal energy including steam systems, cooling towers, heat exchanges, compressors, pump houses. Worked together with Brands (Astra and Lipton), R&D and Quality Assurance as the Engineering input on Channel Development and Maintenance projects such as cold chain improvements and audit and maintenance of vending operations.

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  Sirocco Air Technologies (Pvt) Ltd

  Jan 2012 - Jan 2013

  Engineer - Projects

  Managed projects in the HVAC sector ranging from design, supply and installation of forced ventilation system (fume extraction; dust extraction; kitchen ventilation; etc), chill water systems and general air conditioning.

• 

  Unilever

  Feb 2013 - Oct 2021

  Reporting to the Head of Integrated Planning, led the Demand Planning and S&OP functions at Unilever with a team of 5 planners.Core responsibilities included:- Delivering company goals through a robust S&OP process & governance whilst achieving accuracy and efficiency in forecasting,- Functioning as the key liaison with the board on S&OP updates,- Ensuring process effectiveness for profitable growth and driving a unified target across the organization- Spearheading strategic supply chain projects within the demand planning pillarKey achievements were,• Forecast Accuracy: Ranked in the top 5 globally for forecast accuracy and achieved a 1000+ bps improvement from 2020 exit with world class volume-value disconnect (VVD).• Digital Transformation: Implemented Anaplan and DOMO for advanced S&OP digital transformation, moving away from MS Excel to enhance forecasting accuracy and collaboration. Show less Reporting to the Factory Manager, responsible for driving a consumer-centric quality agenda at Unilever's largest manufacturing site. Part of the Factory Leadership Team and managed a team of 4 managers and 26 operators.Core responsibilities were,- Driving quality, as a fundamental in the factory to fuel business growth by improving “delivered quality” in marketplace.- Implementing Good Manufacturing Practices (GMP) to ensure adherence to standards for materials, equipment, processes, conditions, and controls across 2 manufacturing units.- Planning and executing, robust cleaning and disinfection (C&D) programs for processes, machinery, and personnel through rigorous engineering design and practices.- Leading local and international quality certifications for factory.- Governing changes in machinery, processes, materials, and personnel, collaborating with R&D and manufacturing- Continuously improving site's quality management system by identifying risks (HACCP) and eliminating process failures, product defects, consumer and customer complaints.Key achievements were,• Quality Compliance: Led the first certification of the factory on ISO 9001:2015 quality management system; GMP & local regulatory certification of products with ZERO non-conformances, a first in Unilever Sri Lanka’s history. Enabled fool proof batch manufacturing through digitization for each plant• Quality Culture Enhancement: Recognized at the National Quality Awards in 2019, a first for Unilever Sri Lanka.• Continuous Improvement: Enhanced factory’s quality culture resulting in a double-digit reduction in major quality concerns through effective problem solving Led the Quality Pillar to be audited as complete and successful, at the first WCM audit in 2019 Show less Reporting to the Head of Integrated Planning, was responsible for production planning of over 150 SKUs in the Beauty and Personal Care category. Core responsibilities included,- Production planning at the line level, optimizing machine and labour capacities and run strategies,- Ensuring on-time availability of finished goods to achieve world-class service levels,- Reducing inventory to improve working capital,- Minimizing waste across business to improve profitabilityPart of the Supply Chain Leadership Forum, leading business waste governance for Unilever (Slow moving and Obsolete goods - market returns, rejects, write offs, expired, etc.) from 2018 – 2020 as a stretch role. Key Achievements:• Service and Inventory Excellence: Achieved world class service levels of 98% case fill, whilst meeting the inventory targets of FG at 23days. • Remarkable Waste Governance: Halved business waste from ‘17 to ‘19 with detailed root cause analysis, accountability, continuous improvement and governance. Show less Reporting to the Factory Manager, responsible for instilling WCM (World Class Manufacturing) to factory, through a cost-centric problem-solving approach. Core responsibilities were,- developing and executing the WCM master plan, leading pillar activities and ensuring successful implementation - Training teams on WCM tools (5W1H, WWA, VSM, ECRS, FMEA, etc.)- Minimizing process variances, analyze mass/energy balances, as site’s Process Engineer, - Plan and deliver daily production targets, manage labour and engineering maintenance as General Shift Manager, - Lead weekly production reviews addressing key factory issues such as repetitive, high-cost breakdowns, process gaps, quality defects through focused root cause analysis, - Identifying, prioritizing and implementing capital projects for continuous improvementsKey Achievements:• Solid Fundamentals: Established 5 WCM pillars teams (Safety, Quality, AM, PM & Focused Improvement) and reviewed progress monthly• Kaizen Excellence: Won Unilever’s South Asian Kaizen Competition in Mumbai and National Kaizen competition through successful kaizen implementation and process improvements. Awarded Bronze for Kaizen and Silver for 5S during the annual JASTECA awards in 2017.• Technological Improvements: Managed capital projects of over AUD1m and implemented technological improvements for productivity and efficiency such as, a Belt press to improve yield, automating ETP & Spray Driers, and cooling towers, VFD and IE3 motor conversion to reduce energy consumption.• Operational Excellence: Achieved world class OEE (>85%) and reduced absolute cost at site by 4%. Show less Reporting to the Head of Demand planning, was responsible for driving S&OP process for the beauty and personal care category. Core responsibilities included, - Delivering accurate and un-biased forecasts and driving one number across business teams, - Conduct gap analysis and collaborate on gap bridging activities to achieve category ambitions, - Ensure health check of S&OP process and governance.Key Achievements:• Achieve 2nd best weekly forecast accuracy of USL at 70% plus with world class volume/value disconnect• Introduce market share and sales productivity measures to triangulate data & strengthen assumptions.• Improved forecasting efficiency by introducing innovation and promotions tracker to evaluate effectiveness of trade and consumer spends (mechanisms, timing, segments) and innovations.• Collaborate with Unilever Philippines to improve forecasting techniques (R-baseline) & work methods. Show less

  • National Demand Planning Manager

    Jan 2021 - Oct 2021

  • Site Quality Manager - Horana Manufacturing Facility

    Jan 2019 - Dec 2020

  • Supply Planning Manager - Personal Care

    Jun 2018 - Dec 2018

  • Manufacturing Excellence Manager

    Feb 2017 - Jun 2018

  • Demand Planning Manager - Personal Care

    Dec 2015 - Jan 2017

  • Assistant Demand Planning Manager - Skin Care and Cleansing

    Feb 2015 - Dec 2015

  • Management Trainee

    Feb 2013 - Jan 2015
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  Atlas Axillia

  Nov 2021 - Oct 2024

  Reporting to the Director – Sales and Operations, responsible for end-to-end supply chain functions from planning, procurement, manufacturing, engineering, R&D, and logistics. Led a team of 500+ white- & blue-collar employees.Core deliverables were- Responsible for P&L delivery- Ensuring availability of products at the right time, cost and quality- Creating and ensuring a zero-harm at workplace- Improving profitability through strategic purchasing of material- Optimizing conversion and logistics costs by through lean methods- Improving working capital by optimizing inventory and payment terms- Delivering organization’s vision through rigorous S&OP- Future proofing business by building new capabilities- Digital transformation of processes and functions- Deliver capital projects of over AUD 3m across supply chainIn addition, led the innovation and strategic planning initiatives for Atlas as a stretch role under the tutelage of the Managing Director.Key Achievements:• Revamped Innovations Process: Introduced a new process from ideation to execution, enhancing cross-functional collaboration to achieve the highest innovation-led revenue in 5 years, including a new vertical in educational toys.• Future-Proofed Business: Led the long-term business planning for the company, resulting in a 3yr innovation funnel, recalibration of brand positioning, & key value chain optimization projects.• Optimized S&OP Process: Enhanced Sales and Operations Planning by integrating external data such as market share, birth rates, and school attendance, along with innovation trackers, SKU rationalization methods resulting in a 95% order fill rate and 70% forecast accuracy, best in 5yrs.• Sourcing Optimization: Achieved a 4% cost advantage vs competition, on material purchases through strategic supplier negotiations and data driven optimization of purchasing windows.• Global Focus: Led capability studies across supply chain for new facilities in Bangladesh and Kenya. Show less Responsible for manufacturing, engineering, operational excellence, and research and development of 4 manufacturing units with oversight on quality and safety functions.Core deliverables were,- Ensuring production at right time, cost, and quality- Optimizing engineering works including maintenance, and automation- Continuous improvement of factory operations through lean methodologies- Building underlying technical capabilities for future businesses including delivery of capital projects Key Achievements:• Productivity focus: Improved productivity by 32%, reduced headcount by 9% and optimized conversion cost from 9.4% to 8.5% of turnover, over 3yrs• Cost Savings: Led savings drive of over AUD1m (improving 75bps GP), highest in history, during SL’s economic crisis• Automation Solutions: Delivered groundbreaking automation solutions, winning Hemas Innovation Award for 2 consecutive years• Enhanced Safety Processes: Systematized safety protocols, including work permits, risk assessments, compliance trackers, fire drill and more, significantly reducing safety risks• Quality Assurance Transformation: Transformed quality control systems to quality assurance, implementing risk assessments, critical control points & process audits to reduce top complaints• Digital Transformation: Spearheaded the digital transformation of factory processes, integrating real-time data monitoring and loss analysis to streamline operations• Kaizen Improvements: Revamped kaizen program, leading to the highest number of kaizens (25,000+) in history, and introduced multi-skilling initiatives to enhance workforce productivity• Leadership in Innovation: Restructured R&D under design, packaging & technology. Created inspiration spaces showcasing different tech. capabilities & working models to promote new product ideation• Project Management: Delivered over AUD 6mn of capital projects over 3yrs, for new tech. capabilities, improving efficiency and to maintain status quo Show less

  • General Manager - Supply Chain & Operations

    Apr 2024 - Oct 2024

  • Head Of Operations

    Nov 2021 - Mar 2024
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  Lion

  Nov 2024 - now

  Production/Operations Manager