Stanley Jayawardene no more

One of the country’s eminent business leaders, Leonard Stanley Jayawardene – the first Sri Lankan Chairman and Managing Director of Unilevers Sri Lanka Limited (Lever Brothers Ceylon Limited) – passed away on Monday at the age of 83 years.

Born on 22 April in 1927, Jayawardene received his education at Trinity College Kandy and obtained his BA at the University of Colombo. Soon after completing his university education, he joined the Department of Inland Revenue as an Assistant Assessor in 1949.

In 1955 he joined Unilever Sri Lanka formerly known as Lever Brothers of Ceylon limited as Sales Manager, later becoming the first Sri Lankan to serve as Managing Director and Chairman of the company until 1987.

Apart from being the Chairman of the Unilever, Jayawardene also served as Chairman of Asian Hotels Corporation and Trans Asia Hotels and Director of DFCC Bank, State Mortgage and Investment Bank, Bata Shoe Company of Ceylon, Lanka Orix Leasing Company Limited, Lanka Orix Factors Limited and ANZ Grindlays Banka and Hotel Services Limited.

The late Jayawardene also served as Chairman, Securities and Exchange Commission of Sri Lanka, Member of the Monetary Board of Sri Lanka, Member of the Board of Governors of the Central Cultural Fund and Chairman, Vice Chairman and Deputy Chairman of the Ceylon Chamber of Commerce. He was also the Founder President of the Sri Lanka Institute of Marketing.

He also held several other offices, such as Member of the Council University of Colombo and Council University of Sri Jayewardenepura, District Governor – International Association of Lions Clubs District 306, Trustee – Employers Federation of Ceylon and Cheshire Homes Foundation of Ceylon, Vice President – Institute of Sinhala Culture, Member of the Board of Review of the Department of Inland Revenue and Director – Institute of Computer Technology.