Summary

Dr. Gajendra Liyanaarachchi, a Lecturer and Course Leader for the MSc in Business & Management at the University of Portsmouth, UK, holds a BSc (Hon) in Management, an MBA (Merit), and a PhD. He is a member of the Chartered Institute of Management Accountants UK, CPA Australia, the Chartered Institute of Marketing UK, and an Associate Fellow of Higher Education Academy UK.

He received the Chancellor's Medal for the best PhD Thesis in 2022 at the Business School of Griffith University, Australia, for his exceptional research contributions. Also, the thesis was accepted without revisions, earning him the “Award of Excellence in a Research Thesis.”  

After training as a Chartered Management Accountant, he worked as an investment advisor before transitioning to the banking sector. In 2004, he founded Virtual Business School to become a pioneering business institution in Sri Lanka, with an annual student intake of over 3,000. His instrumental role in elevating Sri Lankan pass rates, producing world prize winners, and teaching excellence earned him the prestigious "Global Tutor of the Year" award in 2006 from The Chartered Institute of Management Accountants, UK.

In addition, he established three other successful businesses: Aforstudy, an online teaching platform specializing in the CIMA UK Case study program; International Business Solutions, a management consultancy firm; and Damas Time House, a wristwatch service centre.

Upon relocating to Australia, from 2015 to 2022, he served as a curriculum consultant in Vietnam, Malaysia, Thailand, Singapore, Indonesia, India, Sri Lanka, and Australia. His teaching experience spans over 26 years, educating over 42,000 students across diverse subjects in Business, Finance, and Marketing.

Dr. Liyanaarachchi joined the University of Portsmouth in November 2022 with a core research interest in data privacy, blockchain, immersive technology, business strategy, and digital finance. Since commencing the PhD in 2019, he has published in reputable journals, such as Marketing Intelligence & Planning, Journal of Retailing and Consumer Services, Journal of Business Strategy, Journal of Strategic Marketing, International Journal of Contemporary Hospitality Management, and International Journal of Bank Marketing.

His overarching vision is to craft strategies to bridge the gap between academia and business.