Lasitha Wimalaratne re-elected as President of SLII

SLII Council 2020/2021

Sri Lanka Insurance Institute announced the re-election of Lasitha Wimalaratne, Chief Operating Officer of HNB Assurance PLC, as its 18th President. The appointment of Wimalaratne was pronounced at the Annual General Meeting held on 26 June at the SLII Auditorium, Colombo 3.

Sithumina Jayasundara, Chief Operating Officer of HNB General Insurance Ltd., the fully-owned subsidiary of HNB Assurance PLC, was also elected as the Vice President of the Institute.

Wimalaratne, an alumnus of Mahinda College, Galle is decorated by a professional profile spanning over 22 years out of which he holds 19 years of experience in life insurance operations inclusive of seven years at AIA Insurance Sri Lanka, whilst also gaining three years of marketing and sales exposure in London. 

Prior to joining HNB Assurance, Wimalaratne conducted duties as the General Manager – Life Operations and Specified Officer at Softlogic Life Insurance PLC. Having joined HNB Assurance PLC as its Deputy Chief Operating Officer, Wimalaratne was promoted to the position of Chief Operating Officer and Principal Officer in July 2020.

Wimalaratne bears the status of a Chartered Insurer and is a Fellow Member of the Chartered Insurance Institute, UK (FCII). Furthermore, he is a Fellow of the Australian and New Zealand Institute of Insurance (AZIIF-Fellow) and an Associate Member of the Chartered Institute of Marketing (ACIM), UK. Wimalaratne obtained his MBA from the University of Wales, UK and a B.A. (Hons) Degree in Business Studies from the University of Sunderland, UK.

Wimalaratne has been serving SLII as a Council Member since 2011 and he was also the Founder Secretary General of the Association of Chartered Insurance Professionals (ACIP) and is a current Council Member of ACIP. He was the first to publish a book on insurance in a local context, titled ‘Jeewitha Rakshanaye Asisriya’ which highlights the importance and benefits of Life Insurance. 

The SLII is the premier insurance educational body in Sri Lanka and has been in existence for over 38 years. The SLII’s main objectives are to instill and maintain the professionalism in the industry whilst encouraging and assisting studies in insurance and to create a social forum for its members. 

The SLII conducts examinations on behalf of the Chartered Insurance Institute (CII) UK, Insurance Institute of India and the qualifying examination for the insurance advisers on behalf of the Insurance Regulatory Commission of Sri Lanka. The SLII also offers Diplomas and Certificate courses relating to insurance. 

The new council elected for the year 2020/2021: Lasitha Wimalaratne – President, Sithumina Jayasundara – Vice President, Mahendra Wilegoda – Secretary, Anushka Jayasinghe – Assistant Secretary, Sameera Dharmasena – Treasurer, Kaumalee Amaradiwakara – Council Member, Chandima Sumanathunga – Council Member, Rumesh Modarage – Council Member, Lachini Chithrasena – Council Member, Kusum Thenuwara – Council Member and Saman Kumara – Council Member.