Swiss Trading Group (pvt) Ltd. - Information>Key Personnel

Thomas F. Daetwyler - CEO, Swiss Trading Group (pvt) Ltd.

Mr. Daetwyler was born in the year 1955 in Canton of Zurich, Switzerland. He did his Maturitaet in 1974 in the commerce stream at the Wirtschaftsgymnasium, Zurich. In 1976, he graduated as a teacher and subsequently joined Volkart Brothers Limited, Winterthur. After completing an overseas management program he was posted in Sri Lanka.

After his return to Switzerland he joined Givaudan Dubendorf Limited where he was in charge of exports of food flavours to Eastern Europe, the Middle East and the Indian Subcontinent. At Doptik Limited he handled the distribution business and exports of optical products to the same market segment as before.

In 1986 he founded Daetrade Limited and initiated the import and distribution of tea and spices in Switzerland and several other European countries. In 1998, he joined A. Baur & Company Limited, Colombo, Sri Lanka as a Director and was appointed CEO in 2000. He has a broad knowledge in International Trade enhanced by his familiarity with local conditions in Asia. His strengths are business negotiations, start-ups, administration and marketing.

Thomas F. Daetwyler
Chief Executive Officer

		A Sri Lankan citizen, born in 1943, Mr. Edirisuriya graduated in the chemistry stream from the University of Ceylon. He started his career as a teacher in Colombo and after two years joined the National Textile Corporation. He then proceeded to Germany on a scholarship for Textile Engineering, where he later passed out as a Textile Engineer. After his return to Sri Lanka, he held senior positions in two major textile companies. In 1979, he joined A. Baur & Company Limited, shifting from production to marketing. He was responsible for the marketing of textiles, dyes and chemicals from Ciba Specialty Chemicals. From 1999 he was fully in charge of the Chemicals division. He has extensive experience with international companies and a detailed knowledge of local and international businesses. He possesses a successful record of assisting company start-ups in the region based on his commercial knowledge and technical expertise.
	Somadasa Edirisuriya Director

Sri Lankan citizen born in 1955. Started his career at a leading British agency house, which managed plantations in Sri Lanka ; pursued higher studies in accountancy .

Subsequently worked for a leading textile manufacturer, where he gained experience in manufacture., export & marketing of clothing.

Joined A. Baur & Co. Ltd., in 1981. He has profound knowledge in exports, imports and agency operations in the activities of the Company.

He has travelled widely and gained considerable experience in international trade and dealing with foreign principals.

Amal Peris
Director

		Born in 1940 in Vienna, Austria, completed his studies at the Vienna University Business School before joining the Austrian Foreign Trade Service. Although he was posted in four different continents, Asia held a particular attraction for him where he spent several years in Thailand, Japan and Singapore. His hands on experience included market research, establishing contacts with potential importers and distributors, negotiating contracts, preparing joint-ventures among others. During a three year stint with UNIDO (UN Industrial Development Organization) as Advisor he learned to cope with the problems of setting up new businesses in Asia and Africa. In Vienna he headed the Export Financing Department of the Austrian Federal Economic Chamber where working closely with the Ministry of Finance and ECAs was instrumental in arranging concessionary loans for a number of large projects in Asia, notably in Indonesia, Vietnam and Sri Lanka . In 2003 he founded Maycrest Pte Ltd in Singapore, a company engaged in new business development. He will use his experience in structuring new projects, explore the market potential for new products and liaise with government authorities.
	Wolfgang G. Mayerhofer Director

		Thiam as he is known to his many business contacts in Asia, Europe and the United States, is a Singaporean who started a new life as a Management Educator and Consultant in his 60s. He did this after a full life as a trainee journalist, a corporate executive in both private and public sector companies and as an entrepreneur running his own business. He has a profound knowledge of all Asian countries from China through the Asean countries to the Indian subcontinent. He sees Sri Lanka not only as a gateway for Western investments into Asia but also as the magnet for attracting Asian investments to the Indian subcontinent.
	Thiam Siew Low Director

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