Riyad Riffai
Riyad Riffai is a Director of the Advocata Institute and an independent strategic communications consultant with more than two decades of experience spanning communications, media, journalism, brand strategy, and public engagement. At Advocata, he leads strategic communications, media outreach, and public positioning, strengthening the Institute’s visibility, stakeholder engagement, and public impact.
He provides guidance on communications strategy, media relations, press engagement, crisis communications, and major public events, while supporting the effective communication and dissemination of Advocata’s research and policy ideas. He has contributed to the development and editing of research on state-owned enterprises and led major initiatives including the Reform Now Conference in 2022 and the Advocata Economic Freedom Summit in 2024.
Riyad’s wider professional experience includes a longstanding career at Dialog Axiata in corporate communications and group marketing, following an earlier career in business and economic journalism. He is also a founding member of the Podcasters Association of Sri Lanka.
He holds a Master of Arts in Financial Economics from the University of Colombo and a Bachelor of Business Administration in International Business from Northwood University, USA.
