A product of immigration, integration, and innovation, Sri Lankan born Desh Amila started from humble beginnings before pioneering his career as an entrepreneur, entertainer, and educator on a global scale. ​

From rubbing shoulders with celebrity innovators, to a gradual transition from entertainment to education, before finally bringing the two together, Desh’s career and life story track the journey from consumer, to communicator, to creator.

“Integrity, commitment and social responsibility have always been at the core of my values,” Desh says.

This opened the door to senior management opportunities early in his career, such as COO of Stash Magazine to founding Australia’s first YouTube festival.

“A mind-over-matter mentality is the silver bullet to success,” Desh says.

A decade later and Think Inc. was born.

“The mandate of Think Inc. was to create a community where ideas can be shared, challenged and voiced,” he says.

“We do this by hosting world-class events with internationally recognized educators, thought-leaders and scientists.”

Desh brought to Australian shores and toured to sold-out arenas intellectual heavyweights such as Dr Michio Kaku, Dr Neil Degrasse Tyson, Sam Harris, Dr Brian Greene and Dr Jane Goodall, to name a few.

A passionate advocate for change, Desh is also an active philanthropist. In 2011, he acted as a founding member of Sri Lanka Unites (SLU) first Diaspora chapter in Melbourne, an organisation created to heal and reconcile the once war-torn country.

In 2013 he created The Dreamer’s Foundation, a not-for-profit that strives to help ambitious young people pursue their dreams, no matter how big.

The first grant was handed to the aspiring Arzath Areeff aka Rz Omar, a budding musician from an underprivileged rural town in Sri Lanka. With the grant he gained studio time to record music for the first time, along with the opportunity to be mentored by some of the biggest local artists in Sri Lanka.

“Through grants, workshops and mentorship with industry leaders, The Dreamers Foundation provides the opportunity for young people to make their goals a reality,” Desh says.

Desh is one businessman who is living proof that hard work and determination will get you anywhere you want in life.

“When the ingredients of imagination, inspiration, initiative and luck come together, opportunity becomes something that you can create, not simply wait for,” he says.