Harry Jayawardena

Infobox Celebrity

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image_size = 150px
name = Harry Jayawardena
birth_date = birth date and age|1942|8|17
birth_place = Ja-ela, Sri Lanka
death_date =
death_place =
occupation = Chairman, DCSL, Aitken Spence, Sri Lanka Insurance
residence = Colombo, Sri Lanka
spouse = Priya Jayawardena
website = http://www.stassengroup.com
footnotes =

"Deshamanya" Don Harold Stassen Jayawardena (born on August 17, 1942 in Ja ela, Sri Lanka), widely known as Harry Jayawardena, is one of the most prominent Sri Lankan businessmen. He is currently the Chairman of the Distilleries Company of Sri Lanka PLC, of Sri Lanka Insurance Corporation Limited [ [http://www.island.lk/2003/04/06/news01.html The Island Online] : "Harry J. acquires blue chip gold mine", April 6, 2003] , Sri Lanka's largest insurer with US$ 500 Million in assets and assets under management, of Lanka Bell Limited, [ [http://www.dailynews.lk/2005/08/09/bus10.htm Daily News Online] : "Lanka Bell targets over 100,000 CDMA lines by mid August", August 9, 2005] Sri Lanka's only indigenously owned second largest fixed line telecommunications operator, and of the highly diversified Aitken Spence & Company Limited. [http://www.aitkenspence.lk] Mr. Jayawardena is also the Honorary Consul General for Denmark in Sri Lanka.

History

After having been in the public service as a Senior Manager of state owned monopoly trading company Consolexpo, he pioneered the Stassen Exports Limited in 1977 when Sri Lanka ventured to the free market economy with the induction of the then Sri Lankan President Junius Richard Jayewardene.

With humble beginnings Stassen Exports Limited became one of the largest exporters of tea and produce in Sri Lanka in the late 80’s.

In 1988 Mr. Jayawardena's companies became a significant shareholders of the country's largest private commercial bank, Hatton National Bank [ [http://www.dailynews.lk/2007/12/26/bus01.asp Daily News Online] : "Stassens still holds HNB reins", December 26, 2007] . The companies significantly owned by Harry Jayawardena ventured into many other areas such as food and beverage with the acquisition of majority shares of then state owned Lanka Milk Foods (CWE) Limited in 1991 and later the Distilleries Company of Sri Lanka PLC [http://www.dcslgroup.com] (DCSL) in 1992 in the then largest transaction in the Colombo stock Exchange. In 2007 DCSL under Mr. Jayawardena’s Chairmanship became the No. 1 listed company as per the “Business Today” Top 10 rankings [ [http://www.dailynews.lk/2007/10/10/main_Business.asp Daily News] , October 10, 2007] .

The group also now include Lanka Hospitals Corporation Limited (Colombo – Apollo Hospital) [ [http://www.dailynews.lk/2006/09/15/fin03.asp Daily News Online] : "Harry takes control of Apollo Hospitals", September 15, 2006] , National Asset Management Limited, Balangoda Plantations PLC, Madulsima Plantations PLC, and many other Sri Lankan companies in diverse areas of business. The group has interests in Commercial and Developement Banking, Insurance, Telecommunication, Fund Management & Unit Trusts, Food & Beverage, Liqour, Tea & Produce, Hotel Management [ [http://www.lankabusinessonline.com/fullstory.php?nid=1655183121 Lanka Business Online] : "Sri Lanka Aitken Spence to run Oman hotels", February 7, 2008] , Destinaton Management, Hospitality, Healthcare, Power Generation and Infrastruture, media management, [ [http://www.sundaytimes.lk/060806/ft/1.0.html The Sunday Times eEdition] : "Harry Jayawardena tries his hand at media, advertising", August 6, 2006] Port management and Logistics in the Asian subcontinent including Sri Lanka, India and Maldives.

Awards and Recognition

Distilleries Company of Sri Lanka PLC and Aitken Spence & Co. Ltd of both conglomerates Mr. Jayawardena is the Chairman were the first Sri Lankan companies ever to be listed in the Forbes List of best managed companies outside the USA. [ [http://www.dailynews.lk/2003/11/14/bus03.html Daily News Online] : "Aitken Spence Group posts record results", November 14, 2003] In 2007 Distilleries Company of Sri Lanka PLC is the sole Sri Lankan company to be listed once again in the Forbers List of Asia's best 200 under a USD Billion. [ [http://www.lbo.lk/fullstory.php?newsID=78447562&no_view=1&SEARCH_TERM=17 Lanka Business Online] : "Sri Lankan Distilleries in Forbes's 'Best Under a Billion'", October 9, 2007]

World renowned First Asian Green Globe award winner Kandalama Hotel [ [http://202.157.156.231/kandalama/inter_recognition.htm Aitken Spence Hotels] : "Heritance Kandalama International recognition"] (Heritance - Kandalama) and award wining Tea Factory hotel [ [http://www.aitkenspencehotels.com/teafactory/inter_recog.htm Aitken Spence Hotels] : "International Recognition"] both located in Sri Lanka are owned by the companies in the group.

Mr. Jayawardena was conferred with Sri Lanka's national title of Deshamanya in 2005 by Sri Lanka’s then HE President Chandrika Kumaratunga.

Honorary positions

Mr. Jayawardena also held several honorary positions including the Senior Advisor for International Trade and Foreign Investments to the then Sri Lankan President Chandrika Kumaratunga [ [http://www.lmd.lk/2005/September/cov7.htm LMD Cyber Edition] : "Cover Supplement: Aitken Spence", September 2005] . 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) [ [http://www.recoverlanka.net/background/disaster.html www.recoverlanka.net] ] established by the President of Sri Lanka after the December 2004 tsunami that affacted most parts of Sri Lanka. He was also the Chairman of Sri Lanka Airlines, [ [http://www.sundaytimes.lk/061224/FinancialTimes/ft313.html The Sunday Times Online] : "Looking back at 2006: Harry J, peace talks dominate business focus this year", December 24, 2006] [ [http://www.lankaeverything.com/vinews/business/20080414005606.php www.LankaEverything.com] : "Harry J. flies higher and higher on SriLankan Airlines", April 14, 2008] Sri Lanka’s National carrier, until March 2008.

Family

He is married to Mrs. Priya Jayawardena, Honoraray Consul General to Spain in Sri Lanka. The Jayawardenas have three children, two daughters (Sanjivani & Stasshani) and a son (Hasitha).

References