First Capital Holdings announces strategic Board appointments

First Capital Holdings PLC, a member of the Janashakthi Group, is pleased to announce key appointments to its Board of Directors, effective 28 June. 

Veteran banker Rajendra Theagarajah has been appointed as the Chairman. Joining him are Inoshini Perera, Rachini Rajapaksa, and Dilendra Wimalasekere as new members of the Board. 

The appointment of Theagarajah follows the distinguished tenure of Nishan Fernando, who served as Chairman. Additionally, these new appointments come after the retirement of long-standing First Capital Holdings PLC Independent Non-Executive Director Chandana de Silva. These individuals have been instrumental on the Board, shaping the vision, providing leadership, and offering guidance that enabled the company’s evolution into a prominent corporate entity in Sri Lanka, marked by exceptional growth. 

Speaking on the new appointments, First Capital Holdings PLC Managing Director/Chief Executive Officer Dilshan Wirasekara said: “I am delighted to welcome our new Chairman and Board of Directors. Their proven track record and diverse skill sets will be invaluable as we navigate the company’s future growth trajectory. I extend my deepest gratitude to our outgoing Chairman, Nishan Fernando, and the retiring Director Chandana de Silva, for their commitment and vision that have been pivotal to our remarkable success. On behalf of the entire First Capital family, I wish them all the very best.”

First Capital Holdings PLC Chairman Rajendra Theagarajah said: “I consider it a privilege to assume the role of Chairman at First Capital Holdings PLC. The organisation is a distinguished market leader in the Sri Lankan capital market sphere, and I am committed to advancing its legacy of excellence. I am grateful for the opportunity to collaborate with such an energetic and experienced leadership team and a dedicated pool of employees. Together, we will realise First Capital’s strategic vision and achieve new levels of success.”

Rajendra Theagarajah – Independent Non-Executive Director/Chairman 

Rajendra Theagarajah is a Fellow Member of the Chartered Institute of Management Accountants, UK, a Fellow Member of the Institute of Chartered Accountants of Sri Lanka, and holds a Master of Business Administration from Cranfield School of Business, UK.

Rajendra has had a highly successful career in banking in both the United Kingdom and Sri Lanka. Over his 36-year career, he spent the last 16 years as the CEO of three licensed commercial banks in Sri Lanka, making significant contributions towards policy advocacy issues such as the corporate governance framework for banks, Basel III adoption, and fair value accounting by banks. During this period, he chaired the Sri Lanka Banks Association, the Asian Banks Association, and the Lanka Financial Services Bureau. He also served on the Boards of the Sri Lanka Institute of Directors, LankaClear, and the Colombo Stock Exchange, and was Ceylon Chamber of Commerce Chairman from 2017 to 2019.

Theagarajah currently holds the position of Carson Cumberbatch PLC Independent Director and serves as the Orient Finance PLC Chairman. In 2022, he received the title “Chairman Emeritus” of the Asian Banks Association for his outstanding contributions. He is a Central Bank of Sri Lanka Stakeholder Engagement Committee member. Theagarajah is also a Senior Visiting Fellow of the Pathfinder Foundation, a leading think tank in Sri Lanka.

Inoshini Perera – Independent Non-Executive Director

Inoshini Perera brings a blend of international experience from the UK and Singapore, combined with local expertise. She holds a Master’s in Finance from the University of Cambridge, UK, and a BSc in Economics with first class honours from the London School of Economics and Political Science, UK. Her career spans various specialties, including investment banking, management consultancy, and corporate banking. She has served as Bank of America in the UK Mergers and Acquisitions Advisory Vice President and held senior roles such as KPMG Singapore and Standard Chartered Bank in Sri Lanka Associate Director. Perera is currently a Verité Research Independent Consultant and Board Director. 

Rachini Rajapaksa – Independent Non-Executive Director

Rachini Rajapaksa, a Fellow Member of the Chartered Institute of Management Accountants, UK, and a Chartered Financial Analyst of the CFA Institute, USA, boasts over 30 years of experience in management and finance. Currently, Rajapaksa serves as Nations Trust Bank PLC, Sri Lanka Accounting and Auditing Standards Monitoring Board, Asset Machinery and Equipment Ltd., Asset Enterprises Ltd., and Lanka Bond House Ltd.  Independent Non-Executive Director. She also acts as a Tennyson & Vinitha Rodrigo Trust Advisory Committee member.

Rachini was a founding member of the CFA Society Sri Lanka and one of the first female charterholders in the country. She served as the first female president of the Society and held various roles including Director over many years. She has contributed extensively to the CFA community, locally and internationally, including as an examination grader for the CFA Institute for two decades.

Rajapaksa began her career at Pricewaterhouse

Coopers, Sri Lanka, and later worked as a Ceybank Asset Management Ltd. Senior Fund Manager. She also served as the IBM Sri Lanka and IBM Bangladesh Chief Financial Officer.

Dilendra Wimalasekere – Independent Non-Executive Director

Dilendra Wimalasekere is an entrepreneur with over 25 years of experience in building and running IT services and digital marketing businesses. He is the Founder of three Sri Lankan-based companies: Eureka Technology Partners, 24/7 Techies, and ReapDigital, all of which leverage technology to provide services globally. These companies have collectively supported over 70,000 consumers, 3,000 small businesses, and notable enterprises such as Google, Natixis, and Wolters Kluwer across 10 countries spanning four continents.

Since 2017, Wimalasekere has served as a Google for Startups Accelerator program mentor and as a SLAASCOM Advisory Board member. He has also held roles as a past American Chamber of Commerce (AMCHAM) Board Director and Treasurer. Wimalasekere holds a BA in Business Economics from the College of Wooster, USA, and completed the Birthing of Giants entrepreneur development program at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology, USA.

With these appointments, the First Capital Holdings PLC Board of Directors comprises Chairman Rajendra Theagarajah, Deputy Chairperson Manjula Mathews, Managing Director/Chief Executive Officer Dilshan Wirasekara, Ramesh Schaffter, Kuda Herath, Inoshini Perera, Rachini Rajapaksa, and Dilendra Wimalasekere.