Central Bank appoints four new Assistant Governors

The Monetary Board, at its meeting held on 16 December 2011, has promoted four Staff Class Grade IV officers, A. Kamalasiri, R. Dheerasinghe, S.S. Ratnayake and K.D. Ranasinghe to the post of Assistant Governor with effect from 1 January, 2012.

These promotions have been made in line with the succession plan of the Bank to address the emerging challenges of the Central Bank.

A. Kamalasiri

A. Kamalasiri, former Secretary of the Central Bank of Sri Lanka, has served the Central Bank for a period of 32 years and has wide experience in the areas of Statistics, Banking Development, Economic Research, Domestic Operations and Secretariat. As the Assistant Governor, Kamalasiri will oversee the Departments of Secretariat and Policy Review & Monitoring.

He holds a BA in Economics with honours from the University of Peradeniya, and an MA in Development Studies from the Institute of Social Studies, Hague, Netherlands.

Kamalasiri has served as a member in Monetary Policy Committee, Market Operations Committee, Domestic Debt Management Committee and National Payments Council and contributed immensely for decision making process of these committees. He has also served as a member of the RTGS/SSSS Task force and Committee of the Automation of General Ledger and contributed effectively in timely implementation of major modernisation projects of the bank.

Kamalasiri has served as a resource person at various seminars including the SAARCFINANCE Seminar on “Liquidity Management for Monetary Policy in SAARC Region” in Nepal. He has also contributed by writing several chapters in the publication of “Central Bank of Sri Lanka – Functions & Working” and “Payments & Settlements System in Sri Lanka” in the SEACEN publication of Payments & Settlements System in the SEACEN Countries.

R. Dheerasinghe

R. Dheerasinghe, former Superintendent of Employees’ Provident Fund, has served the Central Bank for a period of 29 years and has experience in the areas of Economic Research, Domestic Operations, Policy Review and Monitoring, International Operations and Employees’ Provident Fund. As the Assistant Governor, Dheerasinghe will oversee the Departments of Employees’ Provident Fund and Communications.

She holds a BA in Economics from the University of Peradeniya, a Postgraduate Diploma in Applied Statistics from the University of Colombo, an MA in Economics from Monash University, Australia and also the Certificate in Database Systems from Montgomery College, USA.

She has authored 39 papers/books/book chapters including 19 original research work in reputed journals or as book chapters and twenty articles in reputed international and local journals in the areas of global financial crisis, monetary policy, money brokers, financial markets, government finance, taxation, public debt, trade liberalisation, garment industry and power and energy.

Dheerasinghe has also represented the Central Bank in various fora by serving as the Country Economist for SEACEN Study Group on Taxation of Financial Assets in SEACEN Countries, the Acting Chairperson and a Board Member of the Sri Lanka Export Credit Insurance Corporation, member of Inter-Ministerial Sub Committee on WTO Agreement on Agriculture and WTO Safeguard Measures, Trade Agreements with Egypt, Thailand and Romania, Removal of EU Quota Restrictions on Textiles and Garments, Study Group of Indo-Sri Lanka Free Trade Agreement, Committee on Pakistan-Sri Lanka Free Trade Agreement and several other committees representing the Central Bank of Sri Lanka.

She has also functioned as a Visiting Research Economist at the SEACEN Centre, Malaysia and as a visiting lecturer at various educational institutions such as the Institute of Bankers of Sri Lanka, the Institute of Management of Sri Lanka, Centre for Banking Studies and Sri Lanka Institute of Development Administration. Also, she had made a number of presentations at international/regional seminars and workshops as a resource person on macroeconomic issues, external trade, taxation and energy pricing policies.Dheerasinghe has won community awards, international awards and merit awards for academic excellence and humanitarian services rendered for the underprivileged in the community over the last 22 years.

R. Dheerasinghe

R. Dheerasinghe, former Superintendent of Employees’ Provident Fund, has served the Central Bank for a period of 29 years and has experience in the areas of Economic Research, Domestic Operations, Policy Review and Monitoring, International Operations and Employees’ Provident Fund. As the Assistant Governor, Dheerasinghe will oversee the Departments of Employees’ Provident Fund and Communications.

She holds a BA in Economics from the University of Peradeniya, a Postgraduate Diploma in Applied Statistics from the University of Colombo, an MA in Economics from Monash University, Australia and also the Certificate in Database Systems from Montgomery College, USA.

She has authored 39 papers/books/book chapters including 19 original research work in reputed journals or as book chapters and twenty articles in reputed international and local journals in the areas of global financial crisis, monetary policy, money brokers, financial markets, government finance, taxation, public debt, trade liberalisation, garment industry and power and energy.

Dheerasinghe has also represented the Central Bank in various fora by serving as the Country Economist for SEACEN Study Group on Taxation of Financial Assets in SEACEN Countries, the Acting Chairperson and a Board Member of the Sri Lanka Export Credit Insurance Corporation, member of Inter-Ministerial Sub Committee on WTO Agreement on Agriculture and WTO Safeguard Measures, Trade Agreements with Egypt, Thailand and Romania, Removal of EU Quota Restrictions on Textiles and Garments, Study Group of Indo-Sri Lanka Free Trade Agreement, Committee on Pakistan-Sri Lanka Free Trade Agreement and several other committees representing the Central Bank of Sri Lanka.

She has also functioned as a Visiting Research Economist at the SEACEN Centre, Malaysia and as a visiting lecturer at various educational institutions such as the Institute of Bankers of Sri Lanka, the Institute of Management of Sri Lanka, Centre for Banking Studies and Sri Lanka Institute of Development Administration. Also, she had made a number of presentations at international/regional seminars and workshops as a resource person on macroeconomic issues, external trade, taxation and energy pricing policies.Dheerasinghe has won community awards, international awards and merit awards for academic excellence and humanitarian services rendered for the underprivileged in the community over the last 22 years.

S.S. Ratnayake

S.S. Ratnayake, former Superintendent of Public Debt, has served the Central Bank for a period of 28 years and has experience in the areas of Employees’ Provident Fund, Banking Development, Bank Supervision Payments and Settlements, Supervision of Non Banking Financial Institutions and Public Debt. As the Assistant Governor, Ratnayake will oversee the Departments of Payments and Settlements and Facilities Management.

He holds a BA in Economics from the University of Kelaniya, a Post graduate Diploma in Economic Development from the University of Colombo, an MA in Economics from the University of Colombo and an M.Sc in Economics from the Wright State University, USA.

Ratnayake had functioned as the Chairman of Domestic Debt Management Committee and has served as a member in many Committees appointed by the Central Bank including Steering Committee on Central Bank Modernisation, Sovereign Rating Committee, Committee on Enhancement of Capital and Formation of Subsidiaries by RFCs and Steering Committee on Sovereign Bond Issues in 2010 and 2011, Task Force on Pension Reforms, Public Awareness Programme Organising Committee, Financial System Stability Committee, Risk Management Committee.

Ratnayake is a popular speaker at various forums in different capacities. He has published several articles including “Recent Trends in International Debt Crisis” and “Financial Derivatives: Evolution, Expansion and Characteristics of the Derivative Instruments”. He is also a renowned lecturer at the University of Sri Jayawardenapura, The Centre for Banking Studies and at People’s Bank Training College in a number of subject areas ranging from bank supervision, risk management, risk analysis and financial management, regulatory economics, monetary economics and development economics.