Blue Diamonds Board quits; Chinese owner, reps. and ex-CEO Asanga rejoins
Monday, 7 April 2014 00:24
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The entire Board of Directors of Blue Diamonds Jewellery Worldwide Plc has resigned with effect from 2 April.
Those who resigned include Aruna Fernando, Jeffry Ebert, P. Bandara Herath, R. Chitrakumar, Sampath A. Hettiarachchi, Tharaka R. Galahitiyawa, W.K.A.K. Premaratne, W.M. Ravi B. Bandara and Isuru Balapatabendi. The latter was appointed only 28 February as a nominee of Sri Lanka Insurance Corporation, the Board of which he also serves.
As at end 2013, Chinese investor Xia Liqiang held an 18% stake in Blue Diamonds whilst SLIC held 10.22% and Ceylinco Insurance Life and General Fund held a collective 5% stake.
At an Extraordinary General Meeting last month, three nominees of the largest investor from China were appointed. They are Xia Liqiang, Zhao Min and P.A. Gayathri Manori.
Liqiang is a Chinese national holding a Bachelor’s Degree in International Economy and is the Chairman of V.V.S. Lanka Holdings Ltd., Shenzhen Beneficial Investment Company, Suntopway Solar Group and Liyan Lanka Jewellery Co Ltd. He has eight years working experience in the China Government and 20 years experience in the fields of renewable energy, jewellery industry and hotel business globally.
Min is a Chinese national holding a Bachelor’s Degree in Business Management and is the Managing Director of Liyan Lanka Jewellery Co Ltd., and has 10 years experience in the jewellery industry in China.
Manori is a well experienced in auditing and finance for seven years and has served for two years at the Colombo Pharmacy Co Ltd. At present she works at the Centre for Poverty Analysis.
With effect from 3 April, three new Directors have been appointed. They are former CEO/Director of eChanneling Plc and former CEO of Blue Diamonds Asanga R. Karunaratna, Blue Diamonds Jewellery CEO and Nakshastra Overseas CEO Darshan T. Jayanetti and Guo Wei. Asanga served as CEO between September 2012 and February 2013. Jayanetti was the former Chairman of JEDB, SPC and Elkaduwa Plantation and former Director of Tea Board and Sri Lanka Rubber Research Institute.
Wei has a Master of Gemmologist of China University of Geosciences with over four years experience in the gem and jewellery industry in China and has worked in the National Gems and Jewellery Technology Administrative Centre.
