LAUGFS Gas announces new Board appointments

LAUGFS Gas PLC has appointed Dhanusha Muthukumarana, Dr. Niroshan J. Pieries, and Eng. Nalinda Kurukulasooriya to its Board as Non-Independent Directors. Muthukumarana has also been appointed to the Board of LAUGFS Power PLC as a Non-Independent Director. 

Dhanusha Muthukumarana serves as the Group Executive Director of LAUGFS Holdings Ltd. He is an award-winning business and technology leader with over 26 years of global experience in driving innovation-led transformation, strategic management, and sustainable growth across diverse industries including banking and finance, FMCG, manufacturing, healthcare, leisure, logistics, and technology.

Leveraging Fortune 500 exposure and global enterprise leadership experience, Muthukumarana bridges corporate scale with entrepreneurial agility to drive transformation, innovation, and sustainable growth across international markets.

As the Group Executive Director and Board Director of LAUGFS Holdings Ltd., he plays a pivotal role in shaping Group-wide strategy, transformation, and performance optimisation. He also serves on the Boards of several regional and international entities, including Potenza APAC Ltd., (Singapore), Potenza ANZ Ltd., (Australia), Kasper Global Ltd., Idea Propulsion Labs Ltd., (Singapore), Serendib Frontier Capital Ltd., (Sri Lanka), and multiple subsidiaries of the LAUGFS Group.

In 2016, Muthukumarana co-founded Potenza, which has since evolved into an award-winning global technology consultancy with operations in Sri Lanka, Singapore, and Australia. The firm specialises in SAP consulting, data and analytics, and intelligent automation, delivering transformative, enterprise-grade solutions to a global client base. 

Prior to founding Potenza, Muthukumarana held several senior leadership roles across leading global and regional organisations.

At the London Stock Exchange Group (LSEG), he established and led the Enterprise Architecture Practice within the Technology Services Division, serving as Chief Enterprise Architect for the Banking, Financial Services, and Insurance sector. He previously headed Enterprise Software and IT Strategic Projects at Hatton National Bank PLC, where he played a key role in strengthening the bank’s digital backbone and enabling its transformation journey.

His earlier career includes leadership roles such as Group Head of Information Technology at Hemas Holdings PLC, Enterprise Technology Specialist at Microsoft Corporation (Southeast Asia New Markets), and senior technology roles at John Keells Holdings PLC.

Muthukumarana is an alumnus of the University of Oxford (Saïd Business School, UK), where he completed Executive Education in Strategic Innovation, ranking among the top performers in his cohort. He holds an MBA from the Postgraduate Institute of Management (PIM), University of Sri Jayewardenepura, along with postgraduate qualifications in IT, and is currently pursuing postgraduate studies in Financial Economics at the University of Colombo.

He is a professional member of leading global institutions including the British Computer Society (MBCS, UK), the Institution of Engineering and Technology (MIET, UK), and the Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers (MIEEE, USA). He is also a Certified Scrum Master (CSM), and an Enterprise Architect.

In recognition of his contributions to business and technology, Muthukumarana was named among Echelon Magazine’s Top 100 Next-Generation Business Leaders of Sri Lanka (NE100) in 2019. He has played an active role in shaping Sri Lanka’s digital economy through SLASSCOM, serving on national advisory committees for Intelligent Automation, and ICT Capacity Building, and as a General Council Member.

In 2021, he was invited to join the Forbes Technology Council (USA), becoming the first Sri Lankan to be inducted into this global network of technology leaders. He is a frequent speaker and contributor at local, regional, and international business and technology forums. Muthukumarana is also actively engaged in community and social development initiatives as a member of the Rotary Club of Colombo West.

Dr. Pieries is a senior corporate leader with over two decades of professional experience across multiple sectors including energy, lubricants, logistics, telecommunications, banking, insurance, and customer service. He has extensive experience in business transformation, strategic leadership, brand development, and operational management, having held several senior leadership roles within the LAUGFS Group.

Prior to assuming his current role, Dr. Pieries served as the Director/Chief Executive Officer of LAUGFS Lubricants Ltd., and LAUGFS Car Care and Petroleum, where he led the organisation through a successful business transformation and expansion phase. Under his leadership, the brand strengthened its market presence and expanded into regional markets including Bangladesh and the Maldives, while achieving significant improvements in operational and financial performance.

Dr. Pieries holds doctoral qualifications in business and management, together with a Master of Business Administration from Edith Cowan University, Australia. He is also a Fellow Member of the Institute of Certified Management Accountants of Sri Lanka (CMA), and a Certified Management Accountant.

In addition to his corporate responsibilities, Dr. Pieries contributes to academia as a senior lecturer in management and leadership, supporting the development of future business professionals in a number of local and international institutes and universities.

With his extensive industry experience and strategic leadership capabilities, Dr. Pieries continues to lead LAUGFS Gas PLC in strengthening its operational performance, enhancing stakeholder value, and supporting the growth of Sri Lanka’s energy sector.

Eng. Kurukulasooriya is an experienced corporate leader with a strong engineering background and extensive expertise in operational management, technical services, and business leadership. His professional career commenced in the automotive engineering sector, where he gained significant experience in mechanical diagnostics, fleet management, and technical service operations. Over the years, he progressed into broader managerial and leadership roles, integrating technical expertise with strategic business management.

He assumed leadership of LAUGFS Gas PLC during a particularly challenging period for the Sri Lankan energy sector, marked by the national economic crisis which placed significant pressure on the liquefied petroleum gas (LPG) industry through supply disruptions, financial constraints, and operational challenges. Under his leadership, the company successfully navigated these conditions, stabilising operations and strengthening its market position.

During his tenure, LAUGFS Gas PLC recorded a significant improvement in performance, achieving notable growth while reinforcing operational efficiencies and customer confidence.

In recognition of his leadership and contribution to organisational transformation, he received the Global CEO Leadership Excellence Award.

He is a member of the Automobile Engineers’ Association and the Institution of Incorporated Engineers Sri Lanka (IIESL).