Taking over the reins to continue from where the father left the children of Harry Jayawardena Stasshani Jayawardena and Hasitha Jayawardena assumed duties in leading business entities last week.
Don Harold Stassen Jayawardena, known as Harry Jayawardena, was an icon in the corporate sector under whose leadership a corporate empire spanning multiple industries grew. An industrialist Jayawardena headed Melstacorp PLC and was the Honorary Consul General for Denmark in Sri Lanka. Forbes listed him as one of the richest people in Sri Lanka.
In the Colombo Stock Exchange last week a series of consecutive filings was made announcing leadership changes in companies led by Harry Jayawardena Stasshani Jayawardena, who has played an integral role in her father’s businesses for over 15 years, was announced as the Chairman of Aitken Spence, Browns Beach Hotels, and Aitken Spence Hotel Holdings. She has also been named Deputy Chairman of Lanka Milk Foods (CWE).
A graduate of Keele University and the Emeritus Institute of Management, with additional credentials from the University of Cambridge (Judge Business School), Jayawardena has been a key figure in managing Aitken Spence’s leisure sector. She also holds directorships at Melstacorp, Distilleries Company of Sri Lanka PLC, and Lanka Milk Foods.
Hasitha Jayawardena, who has accumulated 12 years of corporate management experience under his father’s mentorship, has been named Chairman of Melstacorp, Distilleries Company of Sri Lanka, Madulsima Plantations, and Balangoda Plantations.
Holding a Bachelor’s Degree in Business Administration from the University of Kent, he has overseen Melstacorp’s plantation and leisure sectors and also serves as Managing Director of the Stassen Group.
