Prof. Ajantha Samarakoon new Chairman at People’s Leasing and Finance

Friday, 3 January 2025 00:08 - - {{hitsCtrl.values.hits}}

Prof. Ajantha Kumara Samarakoon

Prof. Ajantha Kumara Samarakoon has been appointed as the new Chairman of the People’s Leasing and Finance PLC.

He succeeds Pradeep Amirthanayagam who has resigned.

Prof. Samarakoon is a distinguished academic and professional, currently serving as a professor in the Department of Commerce and Financial Management at the Faculty of Commerce and Management Studies, University of Kelaniya. He holds a Bachelor of Commerce (Special) Degree and a Master’s degree from the University of Kelaniya.

In 2009, Prof. Samarakoon was awarded the Internationalisation Development Scholarship by the Ministry of Education, Youth and Sports of the Czech Republic, which enabled him to pursue doctoral studies at Tomas Bata University’s Faculty of Management and Economics in the Czech Republic. He successfully completed his PhD in 2012.

He is a member of CMA-Australia (Certified Management Accountant) and the Association of Accounting Technicians (AAT) in Sri Lanka. He currently serves as the coordinator of the Master of Business Administration (MBA) program at the University of Kelaniya and has previously held key roles such as Head of the Department of Commerce and Financial Management, Senior Student Counselor of the Faculty of Commerce and Management Studies, and Coordinator of the Master of Commerce (MCOM) program.

His academic expertise spans a wide range of undergraduate and postgraduate fields, and he has supervised numerous master’s and PhD students’ theses. Prof. Samarakoon has contributed as the Co-chair of ICBI 2017, participated in several international conferences and published research in peer-reviewed journals, contributing significantly to the academic community.

In addition to his academic achievements, Prof. Samarakoon brings valuable industry experience with three years of audit field experience, having worked as an Audit Supervisor. He has also contributed to the education sector at the national level, serving as the Chief Examiner for the G.C.E. A/L examination since 2006 and as a member of the Curriculum Development Committees in government and private universities. He has further participated as a panelist in various national-level forums.

Currently, Prof. Samarakoon serves as a Quality Control Reviewer for the University Grants Commission’s Quality Assurance and Accreditation Council, playing a key role in ensuring the quality and standards of higher education in Sri Lanka. His multifaceted career reflects his strong leadership, academic rigor, and dedication to both academic and professional development.