Chamila Bandara appointed as WISTA Sri Lanka President

From left: WISTA Asst. Secretary Ruwani Perera, Vice President Maleena Awn, President Chamila Bandara, Secretary Patali Karunaratne, Treasurer Shiyamalee Karunanayake and Asst.Treasurer Hannelore Baldsing

Women’s International Shipping and Trading Association,  (WISTA Sri Lanka) held its 10th Annual General Meeting (AGM) on 28 April at the Hilton Colombo Residences, followed by cocktails, amidst a large gathering of members and distinguished guests.

The event was graced by the presence of Indian High Commission First Secretary (Economic and Commercial) Devika Lal as Guest of Honour, along with WISTA India representative Sanjam Sahi Gupta, WISTA AL Founding President Shehara De Silva and WISTA members from across the local maritime and trading industries.

Hayleys Advantis Group Management Committee Member and Advantis Express and IML Delivery Systems Director Chamila Bandara, has been elected President of WISTA Sri Lanka. Chamila brings a wealth of leadership experience and industry knowledge to guide WISTA Sri Lanka into its next phase of growth.

Meridian Maritime Services Ltd. Director – Operations Maleena Awn was elected Vice President. Centrum Marine Consultancy Ltd. Director Patali Karunarathne was elected Secretary. Hayleys Advantis Shared Services General Manager Shiyamalee Karunanayake was elected Treasurer. Hellmann Worldwide Logistics Ltd. Assistant Manager – Sea Freight Ruwini Perera was elected Assistant Secretary. McLarens Lubricants Ltd. Finance Director Hannelore Baldsing was elected Assistant Treasurer.

The newly elected Executive Committee for the year 2025/26 consists of Shermans Logistics Director/CEO Diruni Chanmugam; SALOTA International President/Director Nilu Mediwake Wickremasinghe; Regency Teas General Manager – Operations Amali Mudunkotuwa Mendis; Sri Lanka Ports Authority Chief Law Officer Aparna Thilakarathne; South Asia Gateway Terminals Assistant Manager – Commercial and Marketing Kalani Dassanayake; Prudential Shipping Lines General Manager – NVOCC Surangi Gunasekara; Shipping & Cargo Logistics Assistant General Manager – Marketing Enoka Wickremasinghe; South Asia Gateway Terminals Deputy General Manager – Commercial and Marketing Udara Cumaratunga; Hayleys Energy Services Deputy General Manager Aruni Wijepala; Mercmarine Group Senior Marine Personnel Officer Niroshini D. A. D. Y.; Spectra Logistics Senior Manager – Business Development Niroshini De Silva; GAC Marine Services Manager – Operations Felicita Alwis; Hayleys Advantis Group Head of Human Resources Imali Jayathilake; DBS Logistics Senior Executive Malisha Parami; Biselko International Assistant General Manager – Business Development Rasika Premasiri; and Pership Synergy Manager – Freight Operations Ruchika Rajaratne.

The Executive Committee will spearhead initiatives aligned with the WISTA Sri Lanka mandate to improve gender parity and empower women across the maritime and logistics industries.

A key highlight of the evening was the presentation of the WISTA Personality of the Year award to IAS Holdings Group Managing Director Tania Polonnowita Wettimuny in recognition of her outstanding contributions and tireless efforts to promote women’s advancement in the maritime sector. 

Addressing the gathering, the newly elected President Chamila Bandara expressed her enthusiasm and confidence in leading WISTA Sri Lanka into its next chapter, focusing on collaboration, innovation, and expanding opportunities for women in the industry. With female participation in the maritime and shipping sector in Sri Lanka at a mere 3%, Chamila emphasised that WISTA will continue to champion initiatives that uplift female empowerment and increase gender parity with the support of policymakers and organisations. She encouraged members to actively engage in WISTA committees and projects, fostering collective action to strengthen diversity and inclusion across the sector.

The evening also honoured the invaluable contributions of outgoing President Diruni Chanmugam and her committee, recognising their dedication to advancing WISTA’s mission and supporting women in the industry. Felicitations were also extended to P&I Regional Manager – API Region and GAC Shipping Ltd. – Sri Lanka/API Region Medical Assistance Debbie Jones, and McLarens Group Management Ltd. Consultant – Shipping and HR Services Anoma Ranasinghe for their long-standing service and commitment to WISTA Sri Lanka.

South Asia Gateway Terminals (SAGT), WISTA Sri Lanka’s long-standing corporate partner, was once again recognised and thanked for their continuous support in empowering women in the maritime and trading sectors. The WISTA team looks ahead with optimism to another impactful year of leadership, collaboration, and progress in promoting gender diversity and women’s empowerment in Sri Lanka’s shipping and logistics industry.

Pix by Sameera Wijesinghe