Harry Jayawardena

Don Harold Stassen Jayawardena (born 17 August 1942 in Ja-Ela, Sri Lanka), known as Harry Jayawardena, is a Sri Lankan industrialist. He is chairman of Melstacorp PLC[2] and is the Honorary Consul General for Denmark in Sri Lanka. Forbes listed him as one of the richest people in Sri Lanka.[3]

Harry Jayawardena
Born (1942-08-17) 17 August 1942
Ja-Ela, Sri Lanka
NationalitySri Lanka
OccupationBusinessman
Years active1977–present
Known forChairman of Melstacorp
Net worth US$ 2.7 billion (2020) [1]
Spouse(s)Priya Jayawardena
Websitestassengroup.com

Early career

Jayawardena first joined a British-owned tea export firm in Colombo as a tea trader. He moved to government-owned State Trading Corporation (Consolidated Exports), better known as Consolexpo Ltd, becoming the head of the Tea Department, which controlled the monopoly of tea exports of Sri Lanka under the administration of Prime Minister Sirima Bandaranaike in the 1970s.[4][5]

Private sector

After resigning from Consolidated Exports, Jayawardena founded Stassen Exports Limited on 7 September 1977 in order to export Ceylon Tea. 1988 Jayawardena's companies became a significant shareholder of the country's largest private commercial bank, Hatton National Bank.[6] These companies later ventured into many other areas. In 1992, his business empire bought a controlling interest in the Distilleries Company of Sri Lanka PLC (DCSL), which was at the time the largest transaction in the Colombo Stock Exchange. In 2007, under Jayawardena's Chairmanship, DCSL became the No. 1 listed company as per the "Business Today" Top 10 rankings.[7][8][9]

Business interests

Jayawardena is a major shareholder and Chairman of the board of directors of the following Colombo Stock Exchange companies:[10]

Jayawardena has interests in these publicly traded companies:

And in these private companies:[10]

  • Stassen Group
  • Milford Exports
  • Lanka Dairies
  • Ambewela Livestock Company
  • Pattipola Livestock Company
  • Lanka Bell
  • Continental Insurance Lanka

Company Awards and recognition

Jayawardena is the chairman of both Distilleries Company of Sri Lanka and Aitken Spence, these companies were the first Sri Lankan companies ever to be listed on the Forbes List of best managed companies outside the USA.[12] In 2007, Distilleries Company of Sri Lanka PLC is the sole Sri Lankan company to be listed once again in the Forbes List of Asia's best 200 under a US$1 Billion.[13]

Controversy

During December 2006 alleged attempt to remove the Chairman of the Distilleries Company of Sri Lanka, Jayawardena, then managing director of DCSL, was allegedly quoted as threatening to shoot the chairman.[14] Subsequently, Harry Jayawardena assumed duties as the Chairman of DCSL. The same news paper alleged that Jayawardena threatened a customs officer, many years back.[15]

Jayawardena announced his voluntary resignation from CPC (Ceylon Petroleum Corporation) on 12, January 2012, a post given by Sri Lankan President Mahinda Rajapaksa. Due to his personal issues he has announced his resignation.[16]

Honorary positions

Jayawardena has held honorary positions including the Senior Adviser for International Trade and Foreign Investments to the then Sri Lankan President Chandrika Kumaratunga.[17] He was a member of Colombo Stock Exchange for many years. He was a member of the Apex Task Force to Rebuild the Nation (TAFREN)[18] established by the President of Sri Lanka after the December 2004 tsunami. He was also appointed Chairman of SriLankan Airlines, Sri Lanka's National carrier,[19] becoming Executive chairman in January 2008.[20]

Honors

Jayawardena was awarded the title of Deshamanya by the President of Sri Lanka for his services to the industry in 2005. In 2010, he was appointed Knight of the Order of Dannebrog by Queen Margrethe II for his services to Denmark as its Honorary Consul General in Sri Lanka.He received the award for his outstanding and exemplary contribution to Denmark and for fostering bilateral ties between Sri Lanka and Denmark.[21]

References
  1. Ratnaweera, Jay (8 December 2013). "Dhammika Perera, Richest Man in Sri Lanka". The Sunday Leader. Retrieved 27 June 2018.
  2. "Lanka Bell targets over 100,000 CDMA lines by mid August". Daily News Online. 9 August 2005. Archived from the original on 16 December 2008. Retrieved 22 September 2009.
  3. Springer, Jon (20 November 2013). "Sri Lankan Dhammika Perera's Master Plan". Forbes. Retrieved 17 January 2021.
  4. Cassim, Nisthar. "Tea boy to tycoon". The Daily FT. Retrieved 14 May 2020.
  5. Hulugalle, Arjuna. "My memories of Stassens' beginning". Island. Retrieved 14 May 2020.
  6. "Stassens still holds HNB reins". Daily News Online. 26 December 2007. Archived from the original on 16 December 2008. Retrieved 22 September 2009.
  7. "Top 10". Daily News. 10 October 2007. Archived from the original on 15 February 2009. Retrieved 22 September 2009.
  8. http://www.dailymirror.lk/113107/Thailand-s-Siam-City-Cement-bags-Holcim-Lanka-for-US-mn
  9. http://www.dailynews.lk/?q=2016/07/11/local/87125
  10. "D. H. S. Jayawardena Chairman / Managing Director". DCSL Group. Archived from the original on 11 February 2012. Retrieved 2 September 2012.
  11. https://www.bloomberg.com/profile/person/16270738. Missing or empty |title= (help)
  12. "Aitken Spence Group posts record results". Daily News Online. 14 November 2003. Archived from the original on 16 December 2008. Retrieved 22 September 2009.
  13. "Sri Lankan Distilleries in Forbes's 'Best Under a Billion'". Lanka Business Online. 9 October 2007. Archived from the original on 19 December 2008. Retrieved 22 September 2009.
  14. ""Harry J threatened to shoot me" – Vittachi". The Sunday Times. 3 December 2006. Retrieved 11 October 2010.
  15. ‘Dirty Harry’ threatens Business Times journalist
  16. Harry J to resign ?
  17. "Cover Supplement: Aitken Spence". LMD Cyber Edition. September 2005. Archived from the original on 16 December 2008. Retrieved 22 September 2009.
  18. "Background". recoverlanka.net. Archived from the original on 31 October 2009. Retrieved 22 September 2009.
  19. "Looking back at 2006: Harry J, peace talks dominate business focus this year". The Sunday Times Online. 24 December 2006. Retrieved 22 September 2009.
  20. "Harry J. flies higher and higher on SriLankan Airlines". The Sunday Times Online. 13 January 2008. Retrieved 22 September 2009.
  21. "Harry Jayawardena Honoured". Business Today. Retrieved 14 May 2020.
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