James Suranga Perera is the Executive Director of the International Tea Committee Ltd, the global organisation responsible for collecting, analysing, and sharing tea statistics and market intelligence for the world tea industry.
James began his career in the Sri Lankan tea industry in 1996 as a tea taster and tea broker with Forbes & Walker Tea Brokers. He went on to hold senior leadership positions within the industry, including Vice President at Asia Siyaka Commodities and Chief Executive Officer at Ceylon Tea Brokers.
After moving to the United Kingdom, James continued his work in the tea sector through education, trade, and industry engagement. He teaches Tea at the UK Tea Academy, worked with The Tea Makers of London, and serves as a judge at The Leafies, a global tea competition celebrating excellence in tea.
With nearly three decades of experience across tea tasting, broking, trading, education, market analysis, and international industry representation, James brings a deep understanding of the global tea value chain. In his current role at the International Tea Committee, he works closely with producers, buyers, governments, trade bodies, and stakeholders across the world to support informed decision-making and promote a sustainable and value-driven future for tea.
