Lawson Software announced today that Haren Samarasekera has been appointed Regional Marketing Director, Lawson Asia Pacific & Japan. Samarasekera will work closely with the company’s global marketing organisation to execute key programs, as well as lead Lawson’s strategic marketing initiatives in the region. He will also support the regional sales and services units in aligning key Lawson objectives and creating customer value. He reports to David Hope, general manager and regional managing director, Lawson Asia-Pacific & Japan.
Samarasekera brings with him over 14 years of sales and marketing experience in the business software industry to Lawson. He led the charge to grow the regional business for ERP (enterprise resource planning) and business services organisations and has worked in the Asia-Pacific and Middle-East regions. Prior to joining Lawson, Samarasekera was director at SalesEdge Consulting and APAC sales director at First Advantage where he set up, developed and managed a team of over 30 sellers, marketing and product management team members spread across 14 offices in the Asia-Pacific region.
Samarasekera was also director of sales and marketing at IFS Solutions at Asia-Pacific from 2002-2006. During his tenure, he was responsible for leading the sales and marketing operations in South Asia, channel development, channel management, team building and overall business growth in the region. Samarasekera has worked in the food and beverage, industrial equipment and pharmaceutical industry sectors.
“Lawson Software is a dynamic organisation with a strong reputation in the ERP software business, especially in the target markets it focuses on,” said Samarasekera. “I look forward to working with the regional marketing team and the various business units to bring our marketing projects and programs to even greater heights.”
Lawson operates 20 offices in the Asia Pacific region spread across 10 countries including Australia, New Zealand, Malaysia, Singapore, Indonesia, Philippines, Hong Kong, Mainland China and Japan, as well as a joint venture in Thailand.
“Samarasekera has a proven track record in managing regional sales and marketing teams across different territories in the Asia-Pacific region. He is passionate about achieving success and I am equally confident that he will be a real asset to Lawson,” said David Hope, general manager and regional managing director, Lawson Asia Pacific & Japan.