Navigating Brand Management in a Dynamic andDiverse Market

A Discussion with Kaushala Amarasekara,

General Manager Brand, Communications & Loyalty, Hutch

A Dynamic Career Journey in Brand Management

Kaushala Amarasekara’s career was laid on a strong foundation, beginning as a management trainee. She progressed through various brand management roles, including

Senior Brand Executive, Assistant Brand Manager, Brand Manager, Senior Brand Manager, Assistant General Manager and General Manager at present. Holding multiple positions throughout her career provided her with a comprehensive understanding of brand management functions.

Spanning over two decades, the majority of her career has been embedded within the telecommunications (telco) industry, a sector known for its intense dynamism. The telco field’s rapid changes and evolving customer needs consistently demanded agility and up-to-date strategies to ensure brand vitality in a highly competitive space.

In addition to telecommunications, she gained valuable experience in the insurance and energy sectors, diversifying her skill set and broadening industry perspectives. These cross-sector experiences strengthened her expertise not only in brand management but also in strategic marketing management, digital marketing, and crafting impactful brand campaigns and product launches.

What are the essential Skills for Success in Brand Management?

In my journey of over two decades across diverse industries, I have come to realize

that brand management is not merely about campaigns or logos̶it is about building

trust, creating relevance, and sustaining value. To do this successfully, a brand

A manager must embody a unique blend of skills and qualities. At its core is a strategic mindset, the ability to look beyond the immediate and connect every brand action to the organisation's larger vision. Without a strategy, even the most creative ideas lose direction. Equally important is collaboration, because brand success is never built in isolation. Aligning teams, agencies, and partners toward a unified goal ensures consistent execution. In an increasingly interconnected world, networking has become a powerful tool. Strong networks open doors to partnerships, insights, and opportunities that can elevate a brand far beyond its traditional reach. And underlying all of this is integrity. Brands thrive when their custodians uphold values with authenticity, ensuring that promises made to consumers are promises kept. Ultimately, brand managers succeed when they balance foresight with relationships, creativity with discipline, and ambition with honesty. They don’t just manage brands̶they nurture trust and long-term advantage.

How your multinational exposure enhance brand strategy coordination?

Having worked in multinational companies, I have seen firsthand how global

exposure can transform the way brand strategy is built and executed. Operating

within diverse markets brings both complexity and opportunity, it challenges you to

think beyond borders while staying rooted in local relevance.

One of the most valuable lessons from multinational exposure is the importance of

cultural sensitivity. A brand message that works in one country may not resonate

in another. Successful strategies require balancing a global framework with local

insights, ensuring consistency in brand identity while adapting to cultural nuances.

Another benefit is the ability to benchmark against world-class practices.

Multinational environments foster innovation and discipline, exposing brand

leaders to advanced tools, processes, and diverse perspectives. This shapes a more

holistic approach to strategy, one that is data-informed, customer-driven, and

future-focused.

Equally, working across borders sharpens strategic agility. Markets evolve

differently, and learning to pivot while maintaining brand coherence is a vital skill.

It also reinforces the value of collaboration and networking, as success often

depends on building strong internal and external partnerships.

Ultimately, multinational exposure doesn’t just strengthen brand strategy it

broadens perspective. It equips leaders to craft brands that are globally competitive

yet locally meaningful.

What is your thoughts on Sri Lankan Marketing?

She challenges the perception that Sri Lanka’s marketing approaches lag behind in

digitalization, asserting that Sri Lankan marketers often lead in creativity, innovation, and

strategic marketing. She believes Sri Lankan skills and knowledge in brand management

can be ahead of many other markets, reflecting a deep, inbuilt industry competence.

How do you balancing Customer Engagement and Brand Consistency?

In today’s dynamic marketplace, brands face the dual challenge of keeping

customers engaged while staying true to their core identity. Engagement thrives on

personalization, immediacy, and adaptability, yet consistency ensures trust,

recognition, and long-term loyalty. Striking the right balance is where true brand

leadership lies.

Customer engagement requires listening closely, responding authentically, and

creating experiences that feel relevant. This often means tailoring content, offers,

and interactions to different segments. However, without a unifying brand

framework, these efforts risk becoming fragmented. That’s where brand

consistency steps in it provides the guardrails that ensure every message, visual,

and experience reflects the brand’s values and promise.

From my perspective, the key is building flexible brand guidelines. Instead of rigid

rules, they should serve as an adaptable playbook allowing creative expression and

real-time engagement while safeguarding the brand’s essence. Equally, empowering

teams with a deep understanding of the brand vision helps them make decisions

that align with both engagement goals and brand integrity.

Ultimately, customer engagement and brand consistency are not opposites̶they are

partners. Engagement wins attention, while consistency sustains trust. Together,

they create a brand experience that is dynamic yet dependable.

What Strategies do you use to Target Diverse Customer Segments with Inclusive Solutions?

One of the greatest opportunities and responsibilities for brands today is

addressing the needs of diverse customer segments. In my experience, success lies

not in creating a “one-size-fits-all” solution but in designing offerings that recognize

and respect differences while still connecting to a common brand promise.

Understanding diversity begins with listening to customers’ lifestyles, aspirations,

and challenges. These insights allow brands to craft solutions that are relevant

across age groups, income levels, geographies, and cultural backgrounds.

Importantly, inclusivity is not just about affordability; it is also about accessibility

and representation. Whether through product design, service delivery, or

communication, every customer should feel seen and valued.

Strategically, the balance comes from segmenting with empathy. Brands must

tailor experiences without fragmenting their identity. For example, technology today

enables hyper-personalization while maintaining a unified brand voice. By doing so,

brands can remain aspirational yet approachable.

In practice, inclusive solutions create more than business growth they foster

loyalty, trust, and advocacy. When customers feel that a brand genuinely

understands and includes them, they transform from passive users into passionate

ambassadors.

Ultimately, targeting diversity is not just a good strategy; it is good business, because

inclusivity strengthens both brand equity and society.

Conclusion

Building a Future-Ready Brand with Integrity and Empathy Kaushala Amarasekara’s brand management journey reflects a combination of strategic agility, deep empathy for customer needs, and steadfast commitment to integrity. Through consistent brand messaging, balancing data and human insight, and inclusive customer engagement, she has steered brands to navigate the fast-evolving telecommunications landscape successfully.

Her journey reveals that success in brand management requires continuous learning,

genuine care for customer experience, and seamless coordination across local andinternational teams. Above all, it demonstrates how values such as honesty, smart work,

and resilience are foundational to achieving long-term brand success in a dynamic global

market.