FCA (Pakistan), CFA
MBA (Finance) from the University of Indianapolis, USA.
FCCA (UK), PIPFA
PGID Engineering Concentration., MBA., BSc
BSc (UCol)., FCIB
MBA(Sri.J)., MA(Fin.Econ)., FCMA., FCPA(Aust)., FIB.
FCA, FCMA, MCSI (UK)
Dr. Kenneth De Zilwa is a distinguished economist and senior banker with over two decades of experience in the banking and finance sector. He has held prominent roles at HSBC and Citibank NA, specializing in risk management, trade finance, and investment banking. Dr. De Zilwa’s leadership at LankaPay significantly elevated its global standing in payments and settlements technology during his tenure as Chairman. He has also made substantial contributions to Sri Lanka’s financial stability and policy development, serving on committees such as the Financial Systems Stability Consultative Committee and the Monetary Policy Consultative Committee.
Dr. De Zilwa’s academic background includes a Ph.D., MA in Economics, and Postgraduate Diplomas in Development Economics and Bank Management and Finance. He is widely recognized for his expertise in treasury and capital markets, particularly in risk management and debt markets. His achievements extend to pioneering initiatives in Sri Lanka’s financial markets, including the introduction of derivative guidelines and the development of the country’s first Islamic finance rupee bond (Sukuk).
Recognized for his outstanding contributions, Dr. De Zilwa was honored with a “Lifetime Achievement Award” at the World HRD Congress & Awards Summit in 2024. He continues to influence policy discussions, deliver keynote speeches, and contribute articles to reputable journals, showcasing his ongoing commitment to advancing the financial sector and economic development in Sri Lanka.
Professor Anil Jayantha Fernando is a professor in accounting attached to the Department of Accounting, University of Sri Jayewardenepura. Prof Anil has more than 25 years of experience in lecturing, researching and administration at undergraduate level, postgraduate level and international level in Finance, Accounting, Economics and other related subjects.
He served as a Project Coordinator and a Financial Management Specialist of Transforming the School Educations System as the Foundation of a Knowledge Hub Project (TSEP) financed by the world Bank group.
He holds a doctoral degree in Business Administration and an MBA in International Business from Asian Institute of Technology (AIT), an MBA in Finance from European Business School (ESCP-EAP), a postgraduate diploma in Accountancy and Financial Management from University of Sri Jayewardenepura and a B.Com special degree with first class honours from University of Kelaniya.
Professor Anil is also a fellow member of both CA Sri Lanka (FCA) and CMA Sri Lanka (FCMA).
Mr. Perera is a finance professional with a Bachelor of Finance specializing in Capital Markets (Portfolio Construction & Corporate Valuations) from the Australian National University. With over 4 years of experience in the apparel sector and a track record as a board member of multiple companies, Avishka brings a blend of financial expertise and strategic insight. Outside his corporate endeavours, Avishka is known for his achievements as a national-level tennis player, reflecting his dedication to excellence both on and off the court.
Mr. Bartholomeusz is an Attorney at Law of the Supreme Court of the Democratic Socialist Republic.with over 29 years’ experience having taken his oaths in 1994.
He practiced as an Attorney-at-Law in the Chambers of Mr. K. Kang-Isvaran President’s Counsel for over 14 years, prior to which he simultaneously completed a year of apprenticeship under Mr. Kanag-Isvaran President’s Counsel, and with the Attorney General’s Department.
In 2008, Mr. Bartholomeusz set up his own Chambers and practices in the Appellate and Original Court in Corporate Law, Commercial Law, Insurance, Telecommunications Law, Intellectual Property, and Banking and Finance Law. He also advises on International Financial Investments, International Trade, Joint Venture Contracts and Shareholder Agreements etc. Mr. Bartholomeusz also acts as Counsel in Arbitrations including construction arbitrations, mediations and negotiations.
He was appointed to the Board of Union Bank PLC. as an Alternate Director to H.R.H. Prince Faisal Al Abdullah Al Faisal Al Saud in December 2008 and was a Director until August 2014. He is also a Director of Associated Electrical Corporation Limited, AEC Properties (Pvt.) Limited, Environmental Foundation (Guarantee) Limited a not for profit company engaged in fostering environmental protection in Sri Lanka, and Acuity Partners (Private) Limited a full service investment bank.
Mr. Usman Haider is a seasoned executive with over 25 years of post-qualification transactional experience, both locally and internationally, in corporate finance, project finance, debt syndication, equity raising, credit analysis, financial feasibility, financial restructuring, mergers and acquisitions, project development, and regulatory affairs. His expertise spans various sectors, including but not limited to energy, power generation, banking, technology, aviation, cement, telecommunication, electricity distribution, hospitality, food products, education, fertilizer, and sugar.
Mr. Haider has extensive experience and intricate knowledge of all aspects of transaction advisory, having successfully advised or concluded transactions exceeding USD 10 billion over his professional career. He has a strong entrepreneurial background and investment portfolio as a shareholder of the Pakistan Credit Rating Agency Limited (PACRA), Pakistan’s leading corporate credit rating agency; founder and sponsoring shareholder of Aequitas Information Services Limited (Tasdeeq), Pakistan’s first State Bank licensed credit bureau; sponsoring shareholder of TenX (Private) Limited (formerly Analytics (Private) Limited), a leading data analytics and software development firm in Pakistan; and founder and sponsoring shareholder of Agrilift Pakistan Limited, a start-up in agritech.
Mr. Anura Fernando is a member of CPA Australia and holds an MBA from Purdue University, USA.
Mr. Fernando has over 40 years of experience in Senior Finance roles, mainly Overseas. He migrated to Melbourne, Australia in 1984 and then to San Francisco, USA in 1988. He returned to Sri Lanka in 2022.
In Melbourne, he worked at Beecham Australia (a subsidiary of SmithKline Beecham) as a Finance Manager and then moved to California in 1988 to head the Finance function of their beverages division Koala Springs. Mr. Fernando held the position of Finance Director until the sale of Koala Springs to Nestle Beverages in 1996.
After working at Nestle Beverages for about 2 years, Mr Fernando joined Pratt & Whitney (a subsidiary of United Technologies Corporation – “UTC”) in 1998. Mr. Fernando worked at United Technologies (a Fortune 50 Company) until his retirement in 2022. With UTC Mr. Fernando held senior financial positions such as CFO, Regional Controller, Internal Audit Director etc. in several countries in Europe, Asia, and Australasia.
Mr. Fernando serves on the Boards of Moose Lanka (Pvt) Ltd, and Lanka Rating Agency (Pvt) Ltd, and is a member of the Audit Committee at the Colombo Swimming Club.
Niranjan Mendis is currently the Chairman of Dellogistics (Pvt) Ltd., and serves on the Board of Dellogistics International (Pvt) Ltd.
Since graduating in Business Administration from the University of Southern California, he gained his initial work experience in business management at Mitsui & Co (USA) Inc. in New York. Thereafter he was appointed to the Board of Directors of the Delmege Group of Companies in Sri Lanka, where he served as an Executive Director for over 20 years. During this period he was responsible for overseeing the Group’s Treasury Management, Banking, the Insurance & Reinsurance Brokering business, Group Share Portfolio, Freight/Logistics business, Group Business Development, and LB Finance Ltd., a leading non-banking financial institution, which was part of the Delmege Group until 1993.
He is a Director of Sun Investment Holdings Ltd., a privately owned investment company, investing in diversified business opportunities in Sri Lanka and overseas. Also an Investor and Board member of Lanka Rating Agency Ltd., a premier credit rating agency in Sri Lanka.
Mr. Anil Amarasuriya is a Fellow of the Institute of Chartered Accountants of Sri Lanka, the Chartered Institute of Management Accountants UK and also the Society of Chartered Management Accountants Sri Lanka. He is also Honorary Fellow of the Institute of Bankers of Sri Lanka.
Mr. Anil Amarasuriya counts over 40 years of experience in the banking industry both in Sri Lanka and abroad. He has held senior corporate level positions at Abu Dhabi Commercial Bank and Sampath Bank prior to assuming duties as the General Manager and subsequently as the Managing Director of Sampath Bank.
He served as Director/CEO of Union Bank of Colombo before retirement in November 2014. He served as Chairman of Sri Lanka Banks’ Association and Financial Ombudsman Sri Lanka (G’tee) Ltd, Member of the Sri Lanka Accounting & Auditing Standards Monitoring Board and of the Financial Sector Cluster, Member of the Governing Council of the National Institute of Business Management and Chairman of the Lanka Financial Services Bureau Ltd. He also served as Director in the subsidiaries of Sampath Bank Ltd, i.e. S C Securities (Pvt.) Ltd., Sampath Surakum Ltd, Sampath Leasing & Factoring Ltd, Sampath Trade Services (HK) Ltd, Sampath IT Solutions Ltd and Associate Company Lanka Bangla Finance Ltd.Amarasuriya served as the Chairman of Lanka Clear pvt Ltd the operator of the National banking Switch in Sri Lanka for two terms spanning a period of 6 years.
Mr. Amarasuriya currently serves as Chairman of Lanka Rating Agency (Pvt.) Ltd, Chairman of Pussellawa Plantations Ltd , Agalawatte Plantations PLC and Damro Holdings Pvt Ltd and director of several private companies in Sri Lanka.