Thushan Jayawardena

Captain
DISC Type : DS

General Manager - Procurement Australia & New Zealand at Opal

Melbourne, Victoria, Australia

Overview

Thushan Jayawardena is the General Manager of Procurement at Opal Group, overseeing a $1. 5B annual spend as part of the senior leadership team. With nearly 20 years of experience across banking, retail, and manufacturing, he is a Monash University graduate recognized for his professional, engaging, and commercially astute leadership style.

He is dedicated to fostering strong, collaborative partnerships with suppliers and is deeply invested in his teams growth, learning, and success. Thushan actively promotes a culture of collaboration and appreciation within his professional network.

Unique fact: Before his current executive role, Thushan co-founded and served as a Director for the company spendsavvy.

Personality Overview

Output-Driven

Decisive But Calm

Consummate Professional

They exhibit a rare combination of being result-oriented but patient at the same time.  They are very professional in their approach and can weigh multiple perspectives together. They might take some time to make their mind up but once they do, they don't change it easily.

Topics They Care About

Supplier Partnerships
He publicly thanks suppliers for their commitment and collaboration, emphasizing the value of the partnerships built together.
Procurement Transformation
His role and professional headline highlight a focus on leading procurement transformation, a journey he has been on for several years at his current company.
Sustainable Economy
He proudly shares initiatives related to creating a sustainable circular economy, highlighting partnerships that bring these environmental goals to fruition.

Media Appearances

Opal card replacement delayed by two years as bidding stalls in $568m upgrade. Featured in The Age

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Streamlining Procurement: Opal’s Journey with SAP BTP. Featured in Mastering SAP

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The Supply Chain Summit NSW – Meet the Speakers (featuring Thushan Jayawardena, General Manager – Procurement Australia & New Zealand, Opal). Featured in Forefront Events (YouTube)

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Work History

5-2023
General Manager - Procurement Australia & New Zealand at Opal
7-2021 - 5-2023
Head of Procurement - Direct Materials Australia & New Zealand at Opal
8-2020 - 7-2021
Senior Manager - Procurement at Opal
9-2019 - 8-2020
Commercial Manager - Sourcing & Partnerships at MLC Life Insurance
3-2019 - 7-2025
Co-Founder & Director at spendsavvy

Education

Bachelor of Commerce (B.Com.) from Monash University
PS/RG 146 Financial Planning & Analysis Accreditation from Monash University

More Information

Social Presence :

Prographics :

Exp : 8 Location : Melbourne, Victoria, Australia Job Level : Senior Designation : General Manager - Procurement Australia & New Zealand at Opal
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Insights For Selling To Thushan

During A Call Or A Meeting

DO's

  • Use phrases like 'your team deserves', 'best in class' etc.
  • Come across as a trustworthy professional and be respectful, they usually know their game
  • Let them know of potential risks but suggest mitigation methods alongside

DONT's

  • Don't shy away from asking hard questions, but be extra polite
  • Don't focus too much on mutual contacts or bother about other stakeholders, focus on them
  • Don't take their patience for granted, avoid long-winding sermons

When Cold Calling

When Writing An Email

While Negotiating & Closing

    The secret to closing fast with Thushan is

  • Strong proof of impact and their conviction will matter the most, but they wouldn't want to act unilaterally either
  • Will you ever get a clear answer from Thushan

  • They will say no if they are not convinced but you will have to prompt them.

Insights For Deal Planning

    How fast (or slow) will Thushan move?

  • They will want to understand things well but can move fast once they have a clear picture.
  • Can Thushan take some risk or not?

  • They have good risk tolerance but are likely to think it through once or twice.

You And Thushan

Personality Compatibility


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