In Memoriam
Deshamanya D.H.S. Jayawardena
Chairman Emeritus: 'The Impetus Behind Our Progress’
Deshamanya Harry Jayawardena, the late Chairman of Aitken Spence PLC, was the driving force behind the Group. He brought to Aitken Spence, a wealth of knowledge, experience, resources and a wide network of local and international connections.
Mr. Jayawardena was appointed to the Board of Aitken Spence PLC, on 1st April 2000 and was the Chairman of the Company since 25th April 2003. He directed and guided the Company in all the important decisions it made and his position at its helm gave Aitken Spence the strength and vision to become one of the most successful diversified blue-chip in Sri Lanka's corporate sector.
A visionary with unparalleled business acumen, he led many enterprises in very diverse fields to achieve great success. He was the Founder of the Stassen Group of Companies, the Chairman of Lanka Milk Foods (CWE) PLC, Browns Beach Hotels PLC, Balangoda Plantations PLC, Madulsima Plantations PLC, Melstacorp PLC, Ambewela Livestock Company Ltd, Lanka Bell Ltd and was the Chairman of the Distilleries Company of Sri Lanka PLC.
He was a director of several other listed and privately held companies in Sri Lanka and is a former Director of Hatton National Bank PLC, the largest listed bank in Sri Lanka. Mr. Jayawardena was sought after to lead large public sector institutions and is a former Chairman of Ceylon Petroleum Corporation and Sri Lankan Airlines.
Mr. Jayawardena held several honorary positions including that of Senior Advisor for International Trade and Foreign Investments to former Sri Lankan President Chandrika Bandaranaike Kumaratunga. He was also a member of the Apex Task Force to Rebuild the Nation (TAFREN), established by the then President after the December 2004 Tsunami.
In 2005, Mr. Jayawardena was awarded the prestigious title, “Deshamanya” in recognition of his services to the Motherland. He is presently the Honorary Consul for Denmark and on 9th February 2010, was knighted by Her Majesty the Queen of Denmark with the prestigious honour of “Knight Cross of Dannebrog”.
In 2019, Mr. Jayawardena was ranked No. 1 in LMD 100’s longest serving chairmen and in the same year was also recognised in LMD’s 100 Club A- List of 2019 as the ‘Seasoned tycoon’.
In addition to these accolades, in 2019 Mr. Jayawardena was presented the Most Admired Leader of Sri Lanka in the category of ‘Business Accomplishments – Entrepreneurship’ by International Chamber of Commerce, Sri Lanka (ICCSL) and The Chartered Institute of Management Accountants (CIMA) Sri Lanka.
A doyen of Sri Lanka's corporate sector and entrepreneur par excellence, Mr. Jayawardena was a strong business leader who was decisive in his actions.
He was an inspiration whilst uplifting the lives of many by venturing into uncharted territory, and thereby providing economic opportunities to countless communities. Moreover, Mr. Jayawardena was celebrated as a courageous leader, profoundly influential in fostering a positive business environment within the country. His unwavering efforts not only drove significant value to customers but also positioned Sri Lanka prominently on the global stage.
His entrepreneurial spirit, business acumen, and foresight fuelled capable teams under his leadership, that are passionate, and purpose driven, to reach excellence in every sphere of their work. Among other admirable traits, his fearless leadership and ability to turnaround loss making enterprises have distinctively set him apart from other businessmen to be an example to Sri Lanka’s corporate world.
315, Vauxhall Street
Colombo 02
Sri Lanka.
