Senior biz leader appointed new Chairman of Senkadagala Finance

Senior business leader Chandra Lal De Alwis has been appointed as the Chairman of Senkadagala Finance Plc.

The move follows the retirement of veteran corporate personality S.K. Wickremesinghe who is 84 years old. Along with him, three other Directors Dr. Mahendra Balasuriya, Rohan Balasuriya and Dr. Gayathri Madanmohan also resigned with effect from 31 December 2011.

Senkadagala Finance Plc is controlled by E.W. Balasuriya and Co (56% stake) and Balasuriya family and connected parties.

De Alwis was the CEO/Managing Director of Chemanex Ltd before retired in September 2010. Currently he is a director of Laughs Gas, Link Natural Products and Ceylon Tapes Pvt Ltd.

He is also currently the Chairman of the Joint Chambers Business Forum and Senior Deputy President of Sri Lanka China Business Cooperation Council.

He is also a member of the Presidential Commission on Tertiary and Vocational Education and a Board member of the University of Vocational Training and Technology and the General Secretary of the Sasakawa Trust, the only Japanese Cultural Centre recognised by the Japanese Embassy in Sri Lanka.

He was the President of the National Chamber of Commerce from 2009 to 2011 and a Past President of Sri Lanka Institute of Packaging.

In 1983 he proceeded to Japan to follow a course in cross cultural management on a scholarship awarded by the Association for Overseas Technical Scholarship (AOTS). In 1994 he was appointed the General Secretary of Japan Sri Lanka Technical and Cultural Association (JASTECA). He is also the Vice Patron of JASTECA and Chairman of World Network of Friendship Committee of AOTS. He graduated ins business management in 1966.