Ceylon Chamber of Commerce elects new team at 180th AGM

The Ceylon Chamber of Commerce inducted Dr. Hans Wijayasuriya as its new Chairperson during its 180th AGM on Friday (28).

Dr. Wijayasuriya, who is the Corporate Executive Vice President and Regional Chief Executive of Axiata Group Berhad, succeeded veteran banker Rajendra Theagarajah as the Ceylon Chamber’s Chairperson.

Additionally, Vish Govindasamy Group Managing Director of Sunshine Holdings was appointed as the Vice Chairperson, and Duminda Hulangamuwa Partner and Head of Tax Services of Ernst & Young was appointed as the Deputy Vice Chairperson for the year 2019-2020.

The following were elected to the Board of the Ceylon Chamber, in addition to the above office bearers – Krishan Balendra, Chairperson, John Keells Holdings PLC; Husein Esufally, Chairperson, Hemas Holdings PLC; Pravir Samarasinghe, Director/Group CEO, Overseas Realty (Ceylon) Ltd. Shiromal Cooray, Chairperson and Managing Director, Jetwing Travels Ltd; Asoka Peiris, Director of Hatton National Bank PLC and Cargills PLC; and Dhara Wijayatilake, CEO of the Ceylon Chamber of Commerce.

Dr. Hans Wijayasuriya is currently the Group Executive Vice President and Regional CEO for South Asia of the Axiata Group Berhad Malaysia – Asia’s second largest Telecommunications Group. 

Dr. Wijayasuriya’s involvement with the Telecommunications industry spans 25 years – both in Sri Lanka and across several Asian markets. Aptly, Hans was honoured by the GSM Association as the first recipient of the ‘Outstanding Contribution to the Asian Mobile Industry’ Award in 2016.

Prior to taking up regional leadership responsibilities, Hans led Dialog Axiata for a period of 19 years, during which period the company progressed from being the 4th entrant to Sri Lanka’s mobile market to become the country’s leading multi-play connectivity provider, and one of the highest valued company’s on the Colombo Stock Exchange. He is also an Independent, Non-Executive Director of John Keells Holdings PLC

Dr. Wijayasuriya is an alumni of St. Thomas’ College Mt. Lavinia and graduated from the University of Cambridge UK in 1989. He subsequently obtained his PhD in Digital Mobile Communications from the University of Bristol UK in 1994. A Chartered Engineer and Fellow of the Institute of Engineering Technology UK, Dr. Wijayasuriya also holds an MBA from the University of Warwick UK.