Chandana de Silva new Chairman at Asia Siyaka Commodities

Chandana de Silva

Top professional Chandana de Silva has been appointed to the Board and as Chairman of Asia Siyaka Commodities PLC.

He succeeds hirunavakarasu Someswaran who resigned on 1 June 2023 after serving for five years. 

de Silva has 40 years of managerial and financial experience acquired in the United Kingdom and in Sri Lanka. 

In the UK, he rose to the position of Chief Financial Officer for Europe, of a Nasdaq quoted company, Level (3) Communications. 

In Sri Lanka since 2002, he worked at MAS Holdings in a variety of roles before retiring as Chief Executive Officer of the MAS Investments Division at the end of 2011. 

Since then, Chandana has served and continues to serve as an independent, non-Executive board member and as a Consultant. 

A Fellow of the Institute of Chartered Accountants in England and Wales and in Sri Lanka, he also holds a Bachelor of Science in Mathematics and Management from the University of London, UK.

He is also the Chairman of Janashakthi ltd., a Director of First Capital Holdings PLC, First Capital Treasuries PLC, Eureka Technologies Ltd and 24/7 Techies Ltd.

In a statement, a spokesperson for Asia Siyaka Commodities said: “We greatly appreciate the leadership and direction given by Mr T Someswaran over the last five years in steering the Company to great heights despite a very challenging era.  We now look forward to a new chapter being written for Asia Siyaka Commodities under the able leadership of our new Chairman Chandana de Silva.  His illustrious corporate journey which includes a wealth of experience in strategic leadership and astute financial and management expertise, will undoubtedly add immense value to our journey ahead.”

He is also the Director, Centre for Policy Alternatives and a Trustee of Lanka Environment Fund.

With the latest appointment, the Board of Directors of Asia Siyaka Commoddities PLC comprise Chandana de Silva (Chairman), Anil Cooke (Managing Director), Y. Kuruneru (CEO/Executive Director), D.J. Wedande, J.N. Dambawinne, S.G. Amarasuriya, S.T. Gunatilleke, R.C. Dissanayake, H.R.V. Caldera, A. Vaithyingam and M.R. Morris.

Established in February 1998 with a clear mission to serve as a reliable and value-adding exchange facilitator in the tea broking industry, Asia Siyaka Commodities is a licensed tea, rubber and commodity broker and a leading market intermediary in the tea industry. Listed on the Colombo Stock Exchange in 2012, the Company holds a market share of 15% and is the second largest tea broker in the country, working closely with over 200 factories across the country.