Singer appoints new Finance Director

Tuesday, 29 July 2014 00:01 - - {{hitsCtrl.values.hits}}

The Sri Lankan business world recently witnessed a changing of the guard, with the retirement of Singer (Sri Lanka) Finance Director Priyath Salgado and the subsequent announcement of Lalith Yatiwella as his replacement. Yatiwella has been at Singer since 2003 and his appointment as the Group’s new Finance Director ensures a seamless transition process that will further cement the Group’s leadership position. Yatiwella began his career in finance with successful stints at Ernst & Young and Virtusa, before accepting a position at Singer as Accountant – Finance in 2003. Having put together an impressive track record, he was appointed as Senior Accountant – Finance in 2005. His rise continued unabated with a promotion to the role of Finance Manager in 2006, a senior management position at Singer, and a subsequent promotion to Group Finance Manager in 2010. He is an Associate Member of the Institute of Chartered Accountants of Sri Lanka, where he won the Financial Management prize at the Final Part II examination, as well as the holder of a B.Sc. (Special) Degree in Business Administration from the University of Sri Jayewardenepura. Yatiwella is taking over from an industry stalwart, a man who is respected not only for his financial acumen but also for his superlative management skills. Salgado joined Singer in 1987 as Assistant Accountant and grew together with the company, holding the positions of Accountant, Chief Accountant, Finance Manager, Deputy Director – Finance and Credit, Credit Director and Finance Director. Salgado’s outsized accomplishments and reputation mean that his replacement has large shoes to fill. Yatiwella, his hand-picked successor, has built a reputation of his own for his professional integrity and knack for forward-thinking solutions. As Singer (Sri Lanka) continues to pioneer innovations in the retail and financial services industries, it is clear that Yatiwella will play a key role in its sustained success.