Founder & CEO
Stockport, United Kingdom
Founder & CEO
Stockport, United Kingdom
I am the driving force behind edocr, eveo and evigon, and have significant experience of start-up businesses as well as multinationals, having previously held various roles in engineering, project management, business development, channel development and operational management both in the UK and the Middle East. I have a MBA from Manchester Business School and a B.Eng (Hons) from Brighton University. I can be contacted through manoj@ranaweera.name and/or on +44 (0) 7769734491.
(Privately Held; 1-10 employees; Events Services industry)
February 2008 — Present (4 months)
Event management company including running of Northern StartUp 2.0 events
(Privately Held; 1-10 employees; Management Consulting industry)
February 2008 — Present (4 months)
Management consultancy specialising in finance automation, etc
(Privately Held; 1-10 employees; Information Technology and Services industry)
April 2007 — Present (1 year 2 months)
edocr is a knowledge exchange with documents taking the centre of discussion leading to better informed society, better products and services, and better revenue prospects for our customers.
Identified market opportunity, brought team together, formed company, developed product and strategy, and launched service to create a paradigm shift in the way business documents are interacted
(Privately Held; 51-200 employees; Computer Software industry)
April 2007 — August 2007 (5 months)
Undertook a detailed review of Causeway Technologies' Tradex, an electronic document exchange hub (EIPP) for connecting suppliers and buyers in the UK Construction sector, from go-to-market strategy to operations management and recommended a number of action points in addition to establishing a channel based strategy.
(Privately Held; 1-10 employees; Information Technology and Services industry)
November 2004 — December 2006 (2 years 2 months)
ebdex embarked on developing an electronic document exchange hub (EIPP) allowing organisations to exchange purchasing documents with their trading partners seamlessly.
Conducted extensive reseach to identify market need, analysed competitor propositions, and developed strategy to achieve sustainable competitive advantage. Outsourced technology development, developed route to market including partnerships with Oracle, Sun Microsystems, Pegasus and Access Accounting. Recruited trial clients and negotiated terms for £250,000 debt finance package.
(Public Company; 10,001 or more employees; Telecommunications industry)
September 2005 — February 2006 (6 months)
BT Retail Service Provider Group services the second tier Internet Service Providers in UK through “sell to” and “sell through” strategies.
Developed Customer Intelligence to understand key business drivers and position products and solutions to increase group’s and clients’ revenues and profits.
(Privately Held; 5001-10,000 employees; Management Consulting industry)
December 1999 — December 2003 (4 years 1 month)
PB is one of the world's leading planning, engineering, program and construction management companies with revenues over $1.5bn.
Initially based in the UAE, led and managed £m contracts in the UAE. Notably, defects clearance of Dubai Emirate electricity SCADA project, and developing a SCADA solution for Sharjah Emirate electricity network.
I was then seconded to National Grid (FTSE100 company) for 24 months. Managed five multi-site multi £m contracts (Siemens and Cruickshanks) with a geographically dispersed team, automating the control of grid substations.
Audited internal business units against corporate procedures and ISO 9001.
Developed new business opportunities including marketing initiatives for geographical expansion and new services.
Skills: process improvement and business transformation, business development, planning and project/contract management, expediting and reporting, customer relationship development, market research, market entry strategies
(Privately Held; 201-500 employees; Management Consulting industry)
April 1998 — November 1999 (1 year 8 months)
Parsons is one of the world's largest engineering and construction management organisations with revenues over $3bn.
Led C&I business unit to profitability through active business development and cost control, managing projects in the Middle East through a centralised resource pool. I was based in Abu Dhabi, UAE. The business unit was responsible for all aspects of C&I including SCADA for water, waste water and irrigation projects in the Middle East.
Notable projects: SCADA system for connecting the sewerage and irrigation network of Abu Dhabi Emirate excluding Al Ain. Defects clearance and maintenance of largest sewarage treatment plant in Abu Dhabi (Mafraq STW). SCADA system for connecting portable water network in Dubai Emirate. Microwave radio based SCADA solution for 80km sewerage effluent pipeline project in Kuwait.
Skills: process improvement and business transformation, business development, planning and project/contract management, market entry strategies
(Privately Held; 501-1000 employees; Management Consulting industry)
November 1992 — March 1998 (5 years 5 months)
Merz & McLellan was one of the largest UK consultancies specialising in power and rail.
I delivered multi £m technology contracts in UK and UAE for rail and utilities sectors.
Initially, as a Control and Instrumentation Engineer, developed automation solutions for CCGT and CHP power generating plants.
Then developed SCADA solutions for electricity transmission industry, both within and outside of the UK. Notable project: SCADA solution for interconnecting all on-shore gas fields in Abu Dhabi, owned by ADCO and other oil companies. I was stationed in Abu Dhabi for duration of this project.
Later supported bidding consortia in targeting light rail transit projects, e.g. South Leeds Supertram, Croydon Tramlink, Manchester Metrolink, etc. I led and managed provision of light current solutions from non-vital signalling to communication systems. Notable project: secured 30-year concession to develop and operate Croydon Tramlink.
(Privately Held; 501-1000 employees; Electrical/Electronic Manufacturing industry)
July 1990 — August 1991 (1 year 2 months)
Cegelec Pic was a leader in provision of SCADA solutions for utilities and rail industry.
First insight to telemetry SCADA systems. Worked on Docklands Light Railway SCADA project and testing of T5000 range of RTUs.
MBA, Executive MBA, 2002 — 2005
Conducted projects on behalf of Aggregate Industries Plc (structuring deal for acquisition of US target), Unilever Plc (Change Management - improving communications management during significant organisational change) and InuCraft (Entrepreneurship - feasibility of importing and distributing wooden toys under fairtrade initiative).
One of the most interesting case study projects (disclaimer: not conducted on behalf of the company) was formulating a turnaround strategy for then troubled Ashtead Plc, which included change of Board and disposal of non-core assets.
B.Eng (Hons), Electronic Engineering, 1988 — 1992
Worked at Ewbank Preece (now Mott McDonald), a firm of engineering consultants, during vacations.
entrepreneurship, networking, strategic planning, channel and partnership development, start ups, fund raising, venture capital, mentoring, business process improvement, business process re-engineering, business process automation, change management, operational efficiency, cash flow improvements, document exchanges, EIPP, Electronic Invoice Presentment and Payment, spend management, financial supply chain management, value addition, innovation
IET, Institute of Engineering and Technology
IoD, Institute of Directors
MBS, Manchester Business School Alumni Network
NWAA, North West Alumni Association (Committee Member)
TiE, Indus Entrepreneurs