LAUGFS Chairman Honoured as Entrepreneur of the Year at ACES Awards 2017

Veteran business leader and LAUGFS Holdings Chairman W.K.H. Wegapitiya won the Entrepreneur of the Year award at this year’s Asia Corporate Excellence and Sustainability Awards (ACES) held in Singapore recently.

ACES awards is organised by MORS Group, which spearheads a series of programs across Asia, ranging from sustainability consulting to premium retreat programs for decision makers. Recognising exemplary and game changing achievements of organisations and business leaders in the region, the Asia Corporate Excellence and Sustainability Awards has created a platform for Asian corporate leaders and dynamic businesses to demonstrate best practices employed to drive sustainable growth in terms of leadership and corporate social responsibility.

Wegapitiya is the Chairman of LAUGFS Holdings, whose visionary leadership and inherent entrepreneurial approach has played a pivotal role in the growth story of LAUGFS, which has today become a formidable conglomerate in the country. Within a mere span of 20 years, LAUGFS has expanded its business presence across the region with diversified interests in a number of industries with over 20 businesses.

“This award is an honour to our entire LAUGFS family,” commented LAUGFS Group Managing Director Thilak De Silva, who has led LAUGFS’s journey over the past two decades together with Wegapitiya. 

“I believe this serves as another testament to the indomitable entrepreneurial spirit and excellence of LAUGFS’s leadership, which has not only been pivotal to the strong business growth we have demonstrated thus far, but will also serve to strengthen the trust our stakeholders have placed in us as a reputed and dynamic business conglomerate. While this award pays tribute to the Chairman’s inspiring leadership style, his business acumen and strong work ethics, this will be a great motivation for all of us at LAUGFS to continue to strive for excellence. Further, I believe that this award also brings great honour to our country, to have one of our very own Sri Lankan business leaders recognised at an international platform such as this,” he further remarked.

Wegapitiya’s strong entrepreneurial spirit and pioneering vision have helped lead LAUGFS’s culture of innovation and pioneering businesses. His nationalistic pride has inspired LAUGFS to build truly Sri Lankan brands that could compete in international markets, while building robust local industries and sustainable communities, contributing to economic and social progression of Sri Lanka. Wegapitiya’s strong affection towards nature has instilled sustainable practices and businesses that strive to preserve the environment.

The inspiring entrepreneurial journey of Wegapitiya has been recognised at both local and international levels, with numerous awards including the National Gold Award for Entrepreneurship, the prestigious Entrepreneur of the Year Platinum Award as well as the Ada Derana Sri Lankan Entrepreneur of the Year award in 2016. He has also been bestowed with the Deshabandu title, an extremely rare lifetime national honour.

Wegapitiya holds a bachelor’s degree in Business Management from the University of Sri Jayawardenapura as well as an MBA from the Postgraduate Institute of Management (PIM). He pursued Energy Management studies at the Oxford University – UK and is currently reading for a PHD at PIM.

LAUGFS is one of the largest diversified business conglomerates and a trusted name in Sri Lanka. Founded in 1995, LAUGFS today has expanded across 20 industries in Sri Lanka and overseas, establishing a strong presence as a leader and pioneer in the power and energy, retail, industrial, services, leisure, logistics and real estate sectors. With over 4,000 employees and an annual turnover exceeding Rs.28 billion, LAUGFS continues to expand and empower millions as a trusted Sri Lankan brand.