Mahinda Saranapala promoted as Managing Director at Kelani Cables

Veteran Mahinda Saranapala has been promoted to the position of Managing Director at Kelani Cables PLC with effect from 22 June 2023.

He was the CEO/Executive Director from April 2011 and was appointed to the Board in December 2013.

Following the latest appointment the Board of Kelani Cables PLC comprises Upali Madanayake (Chairman), Suren Madanayake (Deputy Chairman), M. Saranapala (Managing Director), N.C. Madanayake, Dr. Bandula Perera and Deepal Sooriyaarachchi.

Saranapala’s career spans over 40 plus years and he has worked for top Sri Lankan corporates such as Ceylon Tobacco Company, The Maharaja Organisation Ltd, Nawaloka Polysacks Ltd and Phoenix Industries Ltd. He held senior management positions and served as the Joint Managing Director of Phoenix Industries Ltd up to 1998.

He was awarded four scholarships to Japan and has had specialised training in Productivity concepts and many Japanese Management techniques. He is known as one of the finest 5S/Kaizen practitioners in Sri Lanka. 

Incorporated his own company in 2004, mainly to offer consultancy in enhancing productivity to Sri Lankan corporates. He has provided consultancy services to approximately 62 companies and many of them have enhanced their productivity and also won national and international awards. 

Saranapala is the first Sri Lankan to be appointed as a consultant of the Kaizen Institute India. Kaizen Institute operates in 45 countries worldwide.

He received a merit award from the Plastics and Rubber Institute for the outstanding contribution made to the polymer industry in Sri Lanka in 1992. The Japan Sri Lanka Technical and Cultural Association (JASTECA) recognised him, at the annual Jasteca awards night held on 23 March 2013 in appreciation of his contribution to the growth and development of JASTECA and for initiating the implementation of the 5S concept and for his devotion and continuing efforts to promote and propagate 5S in Sri Lanka.

He was commended by the Ambassador for Japan in Sri Lanka, on 11 May 2015 in recognition of his distinguished services in contributing to the deepening of mutual understanding and friendship between the people of Japan and Sri Lanka. 

He serves as a member of the board of advisors to the Sri Lanka Association for the Advancement of Quality and Productivity SLAAQP.

He is a past president of Japan Sri Lanka Technical and Cultural Association and now serves as a member of the Board of trustees of JASTECA. He also serves as a member of the Board of Trustees of Sasakawa Memorial Sri Lanka Japan Cultural Centre Trust.

He is a distinguished old boy of St. Peter’s College Colombo.  He was appointed as a Member of the advisory committee of the ISO 9001 Quality Management Systems Certification Scheme (QMS) and a member of the Management System Certification Committee (MSCC) in the Industrial Sector operated by the Sri Lanka Standard Institution (SLSI). He was elected as Vice Chairman of the Ceylon National Chamber of Industries (CNCI) in 2021.