CDIC goes for new biz plan, Chairman and CEO

The Board of Directors of Capital Development and Investment Company (CDIC) has approved a new business plan to position itself as a diversified financial services conglomerate with ultimate exposure to investment banking (both regionally and in Sri Lanka), stock broking, wealth management, private equity investments and insurance sectors.

With the aforementioned diversification, CDIC will be placed in a unique position to attract investors who are seeking exposure to finance sector both locally and regionally.

According to the new business plan, CDIC will acquire 100% ownership of NDB Investment Bank and NDB Stockbrokers from National Development Bank PLC (NDB) which will complement its existing strategic investments in NDB Aviva Wealth Management and Aviva NDB Insurance PLC.

The acquisitions would be made subject to regulatory approvals.

CDIC plans to float a private equity firm and also explore strategic investment opportunities in the region in the finance/banking sector. CDIC would seek collaborations with global and regional partners to implement the above plan. CDIC is 99.6% owned by NDB.   

In addition, the Board has appointed Ashok Pathirage as Chairman and Vajira Kulatilaka as the CEO of the Company.  Pathirage is the Deputy Chairman of NDB and is one of the leading entrepreneurs in the country.  He is the chairman of Softlogic Group, Uniwalkers, Softlogic Finance and Chairman/Managing Director of Asiri Group of Hospitals.  Kulatilaka is presently the CEO of the NDB Investment Banking Cluster and was instrumental in developing the investment banking business of the NDB Group.  He is a director of the Colombo Stock Exchange and several companies of NDB Group.