Lalin Michael Jinasena is a Sri Lankan hotelier, entrepreneur and interior designer. He is the founder and CEO of Lalin Michael Jinasena & Co. Jinasena was born in Colombo, Sri Lanka, and attended S. Thomas' Preparatory School, Colombo, and the Asian International School Colombo. His passion for design was prominent from an early age and was something he developed further by completing an undergraduate degree in product design and a business master at Loughborough University in the UK. 

He is married to fashion designer Michelle Sielman-Jinasena and lives in Colombo and Singapore. Lalin began his career in hospitality by managing two hotels belonging to the Jinasena Group. In 2006, he ventured away from the family business and founded LM Jinasena & Co. The group comprises companies, which he created himself, as well as companies, which were built up by his father, Dr. Nihal Jinasena over the last 35 years under the Jinasena Group. The Jinasena Group, a 108-year-old family company and one of the largest conglomerates in Sri Lanka, decided in 2009 to divide its assets between the 4 Jinasena brothers. The companies, which came to Dr. Nihal Jinasena in this division, are now part of the LMJ Group. The LMJ Group is involved and pioneering in Hospitality and Food & Beverage, manufacturing and export, trading, web development, and includes a subsidiary architecture and interior decor company. 

Lalin's design skills in Architecture, Interiors and Furniture are sought throughout the world. Along with his architecture company he has created interior spaces and buildings for numerous projects that have been hailed in some of the most established design publications. Jinasena’s most popular work must be the multi awarded Casa Colombo, a private boutique hotel with 12 designer suites and 3 restaurants housed within a grand 200-year-old mansion in Colombo, Sri Lanka. Casa Colombo is a Conde Nast Hotlist Hotel and has been praised for its interior in publications such as Wallpaper, AD, Elle, Harpers Bazaar and InStyle. 

Is being a 'Jinasena' a help or hindrance? 

The ‘Jinasena’ name comes with a large reputation of trust and honour, which was built up over 4 generations. So therefore it carries a lot of gravitas, which helps in many ways. At the same time, it comes with a huge responsibility of upholding those principles. I wouldn’t call it a hindrance, but more like a legacy to carry forward. 

Is it hard living up to the legacy of your father? 

My father once told me, “Son, through the journey of my life I have accumulated many bags of achievements and responsibilities. You should not feel obligated to take over my bags and carry my load. You should feel free to create your own journey in life and build up your own bags and your own story”. This is something I greatly valued in him. My aim in life is not so much to live up to his legacy, but to live up to the principles that he instilled in me. 

You have ventured into areas of business that are a far cry from your family's core business – how did this come about? 

Actually my core business which is hotels is something that my family was also involved in for over 35 years, and it was an area of the group that I took a great deal of interest in when I worked in the Jinasena Group. This inspired me to create my own genre of hotels. Design is something that I was passionate about from a very young age and because I grew up in a place with easy access to my father’s factories, I was able to actually make the things I designed, and hone my skills. After working for a few years in the group, I realized that if I wanted to make my own mark and follow my dreams, I would have to do it on my own and not as part of the family conglomerate. So I moved out and started off on my own, with my father as the Chairman of my group of companies, guiding me. 

What was your inspiration for the interiors of Casa Colombo? 

I wanted to create a hotel that was totally unique, something that hadn’t been done anywhere. I also have a passion for colonial buildings, and I wanted to find a characteristic building and blend it with a uber chic style of interior. It was a very risky idea at the time especially in Sri Lanka where design never ventured beyond the ‘Bawa style’. Luckily it worked out and the hotel gained immense recognition from international media, and has been ranked as one of the best in the world. 

What made you choose Mirissa for your first resort hotel? 

The building belongs to a very close friend of mine who had just finished construction of the bare building and suggested I have a look. It was an instant yes for me because that part of Mirissa known as Kamburugamuwa was taking off with many high end villas and hotels. It also has an amazing beachfront, and I really saw potential to create a beautifully beachy hotel out of that building. 

Where does Sri Lanka fall short when it comes to attracting the high net tourist? 

To a great extent it is a lack of branding and marketing as a destination. We have never had a cohesive and successful brand campaign as a country. While other competing destinations have over the last 20 to 30 years build very strong brands and marketing presence throughout the world. We need to have a visionary plan for tourism with a clear mandate from the government, and a committed budget to get us there. Having the big hotel brands coming to the country is a good thing, and will help that process to some extent, but depending on that alone is not enough to drive the market. Another big disadvantage especially in the high-end market is the lack of skilled hospitality staff. This makes maintaining consistently high standards for the high-end tourist very hard for hotels because of the constant turnover of staff going for jobs overseas. 

What made you choose donuts as your first fast food venture? 

I realized that there was no dedicated donut bakery in Sri Lanka, and felt it was a niche in the market that I could get into. I tried looking at international franchises, but found that with the fees and costing, the product price would make it inaccessible to the mass market. So I created my own brand, and my own recipes, manufacturing techniques and flavours, which I felt would appeal to the local market and opened the first store at Odel. 

How popular is Chop Chop Kottu? 

It is very popular, and from the food outlets at Odel I believe it is one of the most popular. Our delivery of kottu is also gaining wide popularity. Chop Chop Kottu is an area where I see many growth possibilities. 

Has your Mexican restaurant at Casa succeeded in popularizing Mexican food locally or is it still an acquired taste? 

Yes it has gained a large following and we have some very happy customers. This is mostly because Sri Lankan’s can relate to the flavour profiles of Mexican food with the spice and zest. Another reason why MEX has gained popularity is because we have taken the trouble to create an authentic Mexican cuisine, using authentic Mexican spices and ingredients, which we specially fly in. 

What is the single most important business lesson you learnt from your father? 

Whatever you do, do it with integrity and honour. 

What would you call your first love? 

Hoteliering, interior design, photography. Design and photography were both passions I picked up from a young age. I started photographing with my dad’s Nikon camera from around 8. I also started designing all kinds of furniture and things from when I was around 12. At one point every single thing in my room from my bed, to desk, chairs, fan, wardrobe and 18 to 20 different light fittings were all designed by me and also made by me in my dad’s factory. 

How involved is your wife Michelle in your work? 

Michelle is my sounding board for all my ideas and business plans, and the sensible voice who keeps me on the right track when I get carried away with my ideas. 

With the opening of Space, would you consider going into the manufacture of furniture at a later stage? 

In the past I have been manufacturing furniture that I have custom designed, especially for the hotel projects. For SPACE however I decided to start off by importing furniture, which would give my customers a wide selection to get the business off the ground. To be able to manufacture the type of furniture I have got down for SPACE would be impossible in Sri Lanka at the current time. The facilities and knowhow just isn’t there to be able to achieve the price points and finishes. However, in the future I do hope to introduce my own brand of furniture, which I will retail at the SPACE Store. For the moment, I will be retailing my photographs that go under the brand ‘Lalin Gallery’, and these will be available for sale at SPACE in loose prints and framed prints. The photographs vary between landscapes, macro, wildlife and architecture. 

Could you desribe what you have set out to achieve with Space? 

From being an avid furniture enthusiast and also in my interior design work for clients at ‘Lalin Design’, (my interior design company), I have found there is a lack of truly stylish contemporary furniture and décor pieces in the market. Most of the shops carry similar and tired styles of furniture, which are simple designs. It is hard to find something stunning or unique. At the very top end you have international branded furniture that costs literally millions of rupees and are only affordable to a handful. My aim with SPACE is to bring a large selection of stylish, contemporary furniture to Sri Lanka that is affordable. At the same time to have a store that actually has stocks of the products, so you don’t just see a dummy product on display or in a catalog, and have to wait 2 months to get one made, you can have it then and there. The furniture is ideal for homes and also for restaurants, cafes, hotels, and offices. Furniture is complimented with selective glass décor pieces, beautiful area rugs, unique light fittings, beautiful mirrors, and photographs (my own). We will also be having Wedding and Homecoming gift registries. The store has been designed in such a way to take you on a journey through different aspects of a home, from statement chairs to living room sets, dining sets, bedrooms and even some outdoor pieces. The sales staff will also be able to advise clients on decorating their space. 

What are your hobbies? 

Photographing, cooking, watching movies, travelling, snorkelling. 

Name one quality that you most detest in people. 

I have come to realize that all people are made up of various characteristics and qualities, some qualities that I can relate to, and some that I don’t. No one is perfect, including myself. So I tend not to judge, hate or detest. I accept them for who they are, and either choose if I want them in my life or not. 

Who are your role models? 

My parents, Mahatma Gandhi, President Obama. 

What would your advice be to other entrepreneurs? 

If you want a peaceful life, get a job. 

Of all your diverse business interests, which is your favourite? 

‘Lalin Design’. I really enjoy creating. Be it houses, hotels, interiors, furniture. It gives me the most pleasure. 

What is the quality most needed to succeed in both life as well as in business? 

Balance. Find the right balance between family life and commitment to making your business a success, because both will occupy the better part of your life, and in the end you’ll want to know you succeeded in both. 

Interviewed by Anusha David