OCTAL - an Alpek Polyester Business
Saman Chamara Edirimannage has a diverse work experience spanning over two decades. Saman Chamara started their career as an Accounts Trainee at Deetec Electronic Ltd in 2001 and later joined the Ceylon Electricity Board as a Graduate Trainee in Finance. In 2005, they worked as an Assistant Accountant at GOAL Ireland, where they managed cash books, prepared bank reconciliations, and controlled cash payments. From 2006 to 2011, Saman worked as an Accountant at the Plantation Human Development Trust in Sri Lanka, where they formulated financial reports, performed audits, and managed payroll. Saman Chamara then moved on to become the Finance Manager at Air Partners Ltd, Delta Airlines GSA, where they provided financial leadership and improved financial performance through analysis and control system revamps. Currently, Saman serves as the Head of Taxation and Costing for the Middle East at OCTAL - an Alpek Polyester Business, where they devise and implements tax strategies, ensures compliance with regulations, and optimizes costing structures. Additionally, they have experience as a Controller in logistics and raw material, overseeing tasks such as approving invoices, managing inventory, and implementing ERP systems. Through their various roles, Saman has developed strong financial and accounting skills, along with expertise in taxation, costing, and compliance.
Saman Chamara Edirimannage's education history is as follows:
- From 2020 to 2021, Saman attended CIMA and obtained a degree in ACMA - Chartered Management Accountant in the field of Accounting and Finance.
- In 2022, Saman pursued Strategic level studies at ACCA in the field of Accounting and Finance.
- In 2021, Saman studied at CPA Australia, earning a degree in CPA in the field of Accounting and Finance.
- From 2020 to 2021, Saman also attended the Association of International Certified Professional Accountants and achieved a degree in CGMA - Chartered Global Management Accountant in the field of Accounting and Finance.
- Prior to this, from 2017 to 2019, Saman pursued a Master of Business Administration (MBA) degree at the Postgraduate Institute of Management (PIM) in the field of Business Administration and Management.
- Before the MBA, Saman earned a Certificate from the Institute of Chartered Accountants of Sri Lanka in Business Accounts in 2014.
- Saman's undergraduate studies were at the Sabaragamuwa University of Sri Lanka, where from 2001 to 2005, Saman obtained a Bachelor of Science (BSc) degree with a specialization in Financial Management.
In addition to Saman's formal education, they have also obtained several certifications, including:
- Managing Projects with Microsoft 365 from LinkedIn in August 2023.
- Certificate in International Financial Reporting Standards (IFRS) from ACCA in April 2023.
- Career Essentials in Data Analysis by Microsoft and LinkedIn from Microsoft in December 2022.
- CPA (Aus) from CPA Australia in July 2021.
- Excel: Power Query for Beginners from LinkedIn in June 2021.
- Verified International Academic Qualifications from World Education Services in May 2021.
- ACMA/CGMA (UK) from CIMA in January 2021.
- 2020 Digital Mindset from the Association of International Certified Professional Accountants in December 2020.
- Excel: Analyzing and Visualizing Cash Flows from LinkedIn in December 2020.
- Financial Modeling Foundations from LinkedIn in December 2020.
- Power BI: Dashboards for Beginners from LinkedIn in December 2020.
- Certified Business Accountant from the Institute of Chartered Accountants of Sri Lanka in June 2013.
OCTAL - an Alpek Polyester Business
OCTAL is a global leader in the PET packaging industry that has seen remarkable success because of its commitment to sustainability. OCTAL produces nearly 1 million metric tons of bottle grade PET plastic per year and has emerged as the leading choice for clear rigid packaging, and is the world’s largest producer of PET sheet and resin on a single site, the biggest PET resin manufacturer in the Middle East and also produces an array of packaging solutions for the dairy, poultry and QSR industry. Among its portfolio of products is the world’s first and only direct-to-sheet polyester sheet, DPET™, proven to offer increased productivity for thermoformers and unmatched environmental advantages. Proud to set the global standards for sustainability in the PET manufacturing industry through the use of our pioneering technology, we strive to meet growing customer demands for higher quality, environmentally-conscious plastic packaging. Our scale and superior product performance have accelerated the global adoption rate of PET plastic. OCTAL’s successful and continued growth is the result of massive investment and research into the most advanced technologies. By adopting the latest production methods, we have continuously extended our global reach and developed new products that assist customers in displaying their products using our expanded range of top quality, cost-efficient and sustainable PET packaging solutions. With our largest single site based strategically in Salalah, Oman, and state-of-the-art production facilities in Cincinnati (USA) and Riyadh (Kingdom of Saudi Arabia) positioning us closer to our customers, OCTAL effectively ships to over 75 countries worldwide within 14-18 days. Our fully recyclable, sustainably produced plastic packaging solutions are used by the food, beverage, pharmaceutical and consumer companies across Asia, Europe, the United States and Latin America.