Otara Gunewardene

Otara Gunewardene is a Sri Lankan entrepreneur, philanthropist, designer and fashion icon. Founder of Sri Lanka’s premier fashion and lifestyle store Odel, a brand that took Sri Lanka by storm offering designer and high street fashion for men, women and children; home ware, jewelry & accessories; luggage; perfumes & cosmetics; books & music; confectionery and food. More significantly, offering an unparalleled sensorial shopping experience that keeps shoppers coming back for more. From being a sole proprietor of one store in 1990, she pioneered a fashion retailing phenomenon and has piloted Odel through two decades of explosive growth and expansion. Otara has the distinction of being the first female entrepreneur to take a company public in Sri Lanka when Odel launched an IPO in July 2010. Following the entry of Parkson Retail Asia in 2012, Otara retains a 29.7 percent stake of Odel PLC. Her entrepreneurship was globally recognized in 2010 when she was named the best female entrepreneur at the seventh US Stevie Awards for Women in Business.She also heads the list of Sri Lanka’s Most Powerful Women and is featured in the Sri Lanka Rich List, a few of the many achievements of this incredible powerhouse, who has undoubtedly redefined the fashion retail and lifestyle arena in Sri Lanka.

EARLY LIFE AND FAMILY

Born in the capital Colombo of the emerald isle, Sri Lanka Otara came from a dynamic family; Norman, Gunewardene her father was one of the best known corporate leaders in the country, a past Chairman of corporate giant – Aitken Spence Pvt Ltd, Delysia Gunewardene her mother - nurtured the Chitra Lane School for differently-abled children, giving them a new lease of life which started with two students and now second home to over 200; and Ruchi and Ajit – her brothers have etched their own prominent identity in the corporate world. The family’s beginnings though were humble. Her father worked tirelessly – having started at the bottom rung of the corporate ladder, while her mother contributed by way of maintaining chickens at home and earning from the sale of eggs in order to fund her children’s education. Life was not smooth sailing– but the family made most of windows of opportunity. Growing up Otara was your conventional girl next door. From ballet to athletics – she did it all at Colombo’s leading girls school Ladies College. With a boundless love for animals as a child, after graduation Otara read for a biology degree at the University of Bowlingreen, Ohio with ambitions to work with animals. While on holiday back home, she dabbled in modelling only to be drawn into it in a professional way – shooting for high profile brands and international apparel catalogues right after completing her graduation. It was during this time that fate had other plans; marking the juncture that was set to redefine Sri Lanka’s fashion retail and lifestyle industry in the very near future. It was the year 1989 that a chance request by an apparel manufacturer to help him dispose an assortment of export surplus garments led her to set up shop in the boot of her trusted car – an unconventional beginning; but then again phenomenon’s are almost always unexpected.

ODEL

Within a year of selling export garments from the boot of her car - the fledgling business blossomed into what was soon to become Sri Lanka’s leading fashion brand – ODEL. Launched in 1990, within 300 square feet in a building on Dickman’s Road in Colombo, the refreshingly chic retail space showcased Otara’s personal aesthetic, with international flair. From merchandising and design to marketing, ODEL set new and high standards for the country’s emerging lifestyle sector. Otara’s adroit business skills coupled with a keen eye for detail, skyrocketed ODEL’S fortunes. More significantly - through ODEL - Otara helped to create job opportunities in her internally conflicted home country at the time, as well as rise and stand strong against an impending global recession. A decade later, Otara’s leadership and natural flair for fashion saw ODEL occupy a stunning 35,000 sq ft. colonial mansion of on Alexandra Place in Colombo. Launching stylish new collections, fashion accessories and revamping the brand’s identity to appeal to the young and globally-travelled Sri Lankan, Otara kept the brand firmly at the forefront of the country’s lifestyle revolution. It took just over another action-packed decade to see ODEL rise from a two-staffed single store to a 20-store lifestyle revolution spanning over 150,000 square feet and employing staff of over a 1000. In July 2012, ODEL announced a significant change of ownership, with Parkson Retail Asia Limited – one of Southeast Asia’s most prolific department store operators - purchasing a 41.82 per cent stake in the company for Rs 1.424 billion. Following the acquisition, Otara retained a 27.88 per cent stake in her company and continues to be the company’s CEO. Otara has commended this as a “new chapter in the evolution of the company”, strengthening her role in an infusion of foreign direct investment to Sri Lanka, while raising capital for the company’s growth. In her words ‘ This is only the beginning’

FASHION DESIGNER

Making her mark in the world of fashion design, Otara Gunewardene launched her eponymous jeans label in 2013 at the Colombo Fashion Week, a cutting edge collection pushing all boundaries of style unzipping an unparalleled collection which paid homage to classic styles, it also featured varied and edgy designs, showcasing the season's staples made from slimming stretch technology that lifts and contours the body making it a picture perfect silhouette that effortlessly holds its shape. The collection celebrates the freedom that comes with wearing denim and the understanding that there’s nothing you can’t do in a great pair of jeans clearly reflecting her unmistakable, sui generis style and everything the retail powerhouse stands for. Her unfurling as a cutting edge designer having unveiled a focused collection of wearability and chicness that rang real and true – and very her; reaffirming assurance and certainty that everything looks good from every angle cemented her entry into the world of fashion designing.

HUMANITARIAN WORK

Otara’s passion for conserving the environment and her love for animals coupled with her deep sense of responsibility towards the community has expressed itself in ground breaking Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) projects over the years that are a testimonial to her commitment to a multitude of causes close to her heart. Otara’s love for her three pooches Niko, Bandit and Rozzy are legendary, which led to the launch of Embark in 2007. Having completed 7 successful years of work with street dogs and their surrounding communities, with the vision of providing a better life for the stray dogs of Sri Lanka and giving them the love, respect and home they deserve. Embark’s activities include the following programmes, rabies, vaccinations, sterilization surgeries, puppy adoptions and caring for injured street dogs. The above is sustained by a comprehensive education campaign. Embark works closely with fosters and service providers, thereby building capacity and increasing their impact. In addition, community activities are carried out in partnership with local government and regional departments. A range of clothing, jewellery and accessories featuring endearing logos of the beloved pooches has further deepened public involvement in Embark. Otara through Odel has spearheaded many causes over the years, identifying key issues and tackling them with an admirable hands-on approach by store employees and other like-minded people who believed in the brand's dedication to the various causes. Odel has also been deeply involved in providing relief to the victims of the 2004 Tsunami, constructing 18 quality houses to benefit families affected by the tsunami. Otara has always inspired loyalty and goodwill, which has ensured that people have come out in droves to partner it in many of its initiatives in the past. The tree planting and Bundala National park and beach clean-up drives have witnessed a gathering of both young and old as they stood shoulder to shoulder with Otara and her retail giant brand in achieving significant gains. Animals always inspire fondness, be it baby elephants or the sleek leopards – and Otara through Odel has championed their causes through baby elephant adoption projects in ‘Save the Elephant 2012’ and save the leopard petitions/book promotions. The Odel range of t-shirts featuring messages/pictures of a range of endangered animals has created strong awareness about animal conservation championing the ‘World Animal Day Campaign’. Recognized for her impressive work she was bestowed the honour of World Animal Day Ambassador – Sri Lanka in 2008 and most recently selected and honoured as one of the ‘Prominent Women of the Country’ by the Women’s Parliamentarians’ Caucus, for her achievements in business and for her service to the country followed by the announcement of being named as Ambassador Earth Hour Sri Lanka.

RECOGNITION

Otara Gunewardene has achieved wide recognition in her home country and internationally. Award winner, Ambassador and more she undoubtedly has placed Sri Lanka on the map internationally with her efforts covering an amazing spectrum of areas. • 2000 - Jaycees’ Most Outstanding Young Person in Sri Lanka

• 2001 - Federation of Chambers and Commerce and Industry of Sri Lanka (FCCISL) Entrepreneur of the Year 2001 Award

• 2002 - Zonta Woman of Achievement Award

• 2007 - Alankara Jewelry, Face of Alankara Brand Ambassador

• 2008 - Inducted into the Dallas-Hamilton Entrepreneurial Hall of Fame, class of 2009 as an outstanding innovator at the Bowling Green State University, Ohio USA.

• 2008 - South Asian Association for Regional Corporation’s (SAARC) Woman of Achievement

• 2008 - Retail Leadership Award, Asia Retail Congress, India

• 2008 - Woman of Saabstance, Saab Cars, Singapore

• 2008 - World Animal Day, Sri Lankan Ambassador

• In November, 2009, Otara was bestowed with the honour of being made the country’s new Goodwill Ambassador for Habitat for Humanity.

• 2009 - Colombo Jewelry Stores, Dior Brand Ambassador

• In 2010, November, She outshone leading female entrepreneurs from around the world to bring honour to her motherland by winning the best female entrepreneur award at the seventh US Stevie Awards for Women in Business held in New York.

• 2013 – Named Echelon Magazine's 'Most Powerful Woman in Sri Lanka'

• 2013 – Listed in 'The Sri Lanka Rich List 2013'

• Her personal website, www.otara.lk won the ‘Best Personal Website’ award for the first time in 2010 conducted by the Lanka Domain Registry Office

• 2014 - Selected and honoured as one of the ‘Prominent Women of the Country’ by the Women’s Parliamentarians’ Caucus, for her achievements in business and for her service to the country.

• March 2014 – Announced as Ambassador Earth Hour Sri Lanka