Business leader Ajit Gunewardene to be appointed Chairman of Teejay Lanka PLC

Above: Mr. Ajit Gunewardene

Teejay Lanka PLC, Sri Lanka’s largest textile manufacturer, has announced that business leader Ajit Gunewardene is to be appointed Chairman with effect from February 17, consequent to his appointment as an independent non-executive director of the company on February 1, 2022.

Mr. Gunewardene, a former Deputy Chairman of John Keells Holdings (JKH) and a former Chairman of Nations Trust Bank (NTB) and Union Assurance, will succeed Bill Lam, who resigns on February 17, ending a 13-year stint at the helm of the company, it said in a media release.

Announcing the succession, Teejay Lanka said Mr. Gunewardene’s appointment is expected to be pivotal to the growth journey of the company, which has already announced targets of becoming a US$ 300 million enterprise by 2023 and a $500 million business in the longer term.

“Mr. Ajit Gunewardene’s depth of multi-sector managerial experience, his renowned skills as a business strategist and innovator and his stellar record as brand builder will be of immense value to Teejay Lanka PLC, as it embarks on its next phase of growth,” the company said.

Mr. Gunewardene is the Founder and Chairman of Bluestone Capital Ltd., a leading private equity investment company. He is the Founder Chairman of Digital Mobility Solutions Pvt Ltd., better known as ‘PickMe’ – the leading ride hailing and delivery company in Sri Lanka, and Chairman of Fintrex Finance Ltd., a Central Bank of Sri Lanka registered non-bank financial institution.