UTTUM COREA is the Director General of the National Strategy Office in the Office of the President of Botswana. He is the former Senior Partner of PricewaterhouseCoopers in Botswana. He has worked and lived in Botswana since 1973. Botswana is hailed as a model of democracy and development and a success story in Africa.

Born on 29th July 1947, Uttum is the youngest son of Henri and Claire Corea, and brother of Ilona, Randunna, Devadunna, Ranmali and Aruni. He married Swinitha (Dinky) Ratnayaka, daughter of Victor and Olive Ratnayaka of Deniyaya. He has three children Ireshadevi, Thusharadevi, who live in the US, and Dhamindra who lives in the UK.

Uttum’s primary education was at St. Benedict’s College,Colombo and St. Anne's College, Kurunegala, and his secondary education was at Trinity College, Kandy. He gained entry into the Faculty of Engineering in the University of Peradeniya, but opted to enter the field of Chartered Accountancy and served Articles with Cecil Arsecularatne & Co. He qualified as a Chartered Accountant in 1970 and served with Turquand Young and Co. He ventured abroad in 1972 and served with Indeco Ltd. in Zambia. He was recruited by Coopers & Lybrand and commenced work with their Botswana firm in 1973.

Uttum is a Past President of the Botswana Institute of Accountants and also served as a member of Council of the Botswana Confederation of Commerce, Industry and Manpower. He has also served as a founder Member of the University of Botswana Foundation, and as a founder Member of the Mokolodi Wildlife Foundation. He has served as a Board Member of the Bank of Botswana, member of the National Employment Manpower and Incomes Council, and the High Level Consultative Council of Botswana. He served as the first Chairman of the Board of the Botswana Export Development and Investment Authority. He is a Director on the Board of the Botswana Insurance Holdings Group.

He oversaw the merger of Coopers and Lybrand and Pricewaterhouse in Botswana and was appointed as the founding Senior Partner of PricewaterhouseCoopers in Botswana in 1998. He served on the Governing Board of PricewaterhouseCoopers in Southern Africa.

Though not a member of Rotary, he was honoured by Rotary International with the Paul Harris Fellowship and a special Rotary Centennial Service Award for Professional Excellence, in the centennial year 2004/5, in recognition of professional achievement, demonstrated high ethical standards, community and vocational service and dedication to the concept of Service above self.

He was requested to serve in the Office of the President in Botswana in 2008 and currently serves as the Director General of the National Strategy Office in the Office of the President, His Excellency, Lieutenant General, Seretse Khama Ian Khama.

Uttum cherishes his education and his upbringing by Henri and Claire Corea in Sri Lanka. Growing up in a multi-cultural and multi ethnic society improves one’s sense of harmony with fellow citizens of the world. A committed Christian he learnt to respect the rights of others to practice their own religions. Uttum assisted his wife Dinky to establish a Buddhist meditation center and temple in Botswana which is also representative of Sinhala culture on the African continent. He values the opportunity and privilege his parents gave him and his siblings in stimulating and facilitating interest in equestrian sports and the breeding and exhibiting of Boxers and Rhodesian Ridgebacks. He successfully bred and exhibited Rhodesian Ridgebacks in Africa, and also owned horses in Botswana. Henri and Claire inculcated a sense of compassion and caring through giving their children the responsibility of bringing up pets which apart from horses and dogs included a veritable farmyard of animals.

Uttum and family saved and adopted four orphaned African elephants and cared for them with the help of professional mahouts from Sri Lanka. The mahouts also taught Uttum and the children to care for and control and ride the elephants. The family experienced the joys and set backs of guardianship of these pets, which is a long story spanning many years.