A.G. Kumudika Fernando appointed chairperson at Maliban Group

Ms. A.G. Kumudika Fernando

The Maliban Group, a household name in Sri Lanka with a 70-year heritage in quality and taste, has appointed Ms. A.G. Kumudika Fernando as Chairperson of the Group with effect from of August 15.

The appointment follows the recent passing of A.G. Ratnapala Samaraweera, the previously-serving Chairman of the Maliban Group, who is also Ms Fernando’s father. Mr, Samaraweera was the son of the late AG Hinni Appuhamy, the legendary Founder of Maliban, and upheld the long-standing Maliban Family tradition of quality, excellence, and innovation, the company said in a statement on Wednesday.

Ms. Fernando, who has served as the Managing Director for over a decade, is an alumna of Holy Family Convent Bambalapitiya– where she spent her schooling years, and the Singapore American School – where she read for a Bachelor’s Degree in Premed Biology, and Notre Dame de Namur University, San Francisco – where she read for a Master’s Degree in Psychology. Having originally joined the Maliban Group through its subsidiary, Little Lion, in 1993, Ms. Fernando subsequently took a break from professional life to start a family, having her first child in 1995, while still keeping a tab on the business. In 2009, she rejoined the Maliban Group, and in 2013, she was appointed Group Managing Director. 

Ms Fernando said, “Under my leadership, I aim to carry forward the vision of our Founder Chairman, and our late Chairman, striving to keep Maliban’s promise of delivering unparalleled quality, excellence and taste to the world. My ambition is to take the Maliban name to the world and establish it as a trusted, iconic global brand. We are passionate about driving innovation and introducing new products that cater to evolving consumer tastes while ensuring that the cherished flavours of our favourites remain unchanged across generations. Sustainability will also be a key focus as we move forward, furthering Maliban’s reputation as a responsible corporate citizen.”

Maliban is one of the largest manufacturers and exporters of biscuits, confectionaries, and other ready-to-eat food products in Sri Lanka.