Thivanka Vithanage is an industry practitioner and educator with over a decade of experience spanning telecommunications, IT, SaaS platforms, digital transformation, and higher education. He has contributed to technology-driven initiatives across regional and international organisations, focusing on business analysis, product development, and data-informed decision-making. Alongside his industry work, he lectures in business and technology-related subjects, including his role as a visiting lecturer at the University of Sri Jayawardenepura. Thivanka is currently a Sustainability & Digital Systems Researcher, pursuing postgraduate research at Keele University with a focus on green technologies and the sustainable use of digital systems in business.
With over 12 years of professional experience, Thivanka currently serves as the Director of PREMIUM OIL STORE PVT LTD (2019 – Current), where he built and managed one of the first digitally driven automobile lubricant retail stores in Sri Lanka. Previously, he was the Assistant Manager for Customer Success & Pre Sales at Enadoc (2022–2024), where he spearheaded client onboarding and retention for SaaS products, achieving a client satisfaction rate of over 90% and contributing to a $400,000 topline revenue target. His career also includes a tenure as Senior Executive Marketing and Senior Business Designer at Zone24x7 (2018–2022), where he developed digital marketing and business strategies in close collaboration with delivery and business development teams.
Thivanka’s impact on education is highlighted by his development of a key module in Digital Product Management for the final year undergraduate Business Information Systems (BIS) degree at the University of Sri Jayawardenepura. His professional journey and success with international qualifications have been featured in a formal case study by the BCS (UK). Additionally, he maintains an active professional presence through his dedicated LinkedIn newsletter focused on his areas of research and expertise.
Thivanka holds a comprehensive suite of professional credentials, including a Foundation Certificate in Business Analysis from BCS, The Chartered Institute for IT (UK) and a Certificate in Digital Marketing from APIDM (2019). His commitment to continuous learning is further evidenced by his specialized training in IT and marketing systems, bridging the gap between technical infrastructure and commercial strategy.
His academic background includes a Master of Business Management in Marketing from the University of Kelaniya (2024) and a Professional Graduate Diploma in IT from BCS, The Chartered Institute for IT (UK). He is currently completing an MSc in Environmental Sustainability and Green Technology at Keele University (expected 2026).
"Being a trainer, to me, is about responsibility and trust."
Learners offer their time and openness, and I see my role as helping them turn ideas into understanding by connecting theory with real situations. I enjoy seeing learners move from hesitation to clarity, where concepts begin to make sense in their own context. Those moments of engagement, discussion, and questioning matter more to me than simply arriving at correct answers. What drives me as a trainer is relevance and application;
I focus on practical scenarios drawn from real-world experience so learning feels grounded and useful beyond the classroom. My aim is to build confidence in thinking and decision-making, helping learners ask better questions and see problems from different perspectives.
Publications
Thivanka operates on the firm belief that perseverance and dedication, rather than luck, are the true drivers of impossible outcomes. As a trainer and researcher, he brings this same grit to the classroom, aiming to leave every learner feeling more capable, curious, and prepared for the future. By merging his deep roots in IT with a forward-thinking focus on sustainability and digital systems, Thivanka provides a unique, multidisciplinary perspective that prepares students to solve complex, real-world business problems with both technical precision and ethical responsibility.