Leadership
Hayleys Fabrics PLC, is led by some of the veteran business minds in the country. Chaired by Mr. A.M. Pandithage, the Board of Directors steer the Company with outstanding leadership by establishing strategic direction. They are responsible for setting forth managerial frameworks for the smooth functioning of the Company and for preserving the interests of key stakeholders. The Board sets periodical goals while regularly monitoring performance against Key Performance Indicators (KPIs) which comprise of both quantitative and qualitative measures.
Appointed - July 2007
Mr. Mohan Pandithage currently serves as the Chairman and Chief Executive of Hayleys PLC, a position he has held since his appointment in July 2009.
As an accomplished industry veteran and respected leader in the field of transportation and logistics, he was honored with the prestigious 'Best Shipping Personality' Award by the Institute of Chartered Shipbrokers, in recognition of his outstanding contributions to the industry. Additionally, he was presented with a Lifetime Achievement Award by the Seatrade-Sri Lanka Ports, Trade and Logistics (SLPTL). He was the first Sri Lankan to be awarded the Pinnacle Lifetime Award by the Chartered Institute of Logistics and Transport (CILT). He was also inducted as a 'Legend of Logistics' by the Sri Lanka Logistics and Freight Forwarding Association, in acknowledgement of his invaluable services to Sri Lanka's logistics industry.
Mr. Pandithage serves as Honorary Consul of the United Mexican States (Mexico) to Sri Lanka. He is a Fellow of the Chartered Institute of Logistics and Transport (UK) and a Member of the Advisory Council of the Ceylon Association of Shipping Agents (CASA). He also serves as a Council Member of the Employers' Federation of Ceylon.
As an Executive Chairman of multiple companies within the Hayleys Group, Mr. Pandithage possesses extensive leadership experience across a broad spectrum of industries. Presently, he holds the position of Executive Chairman at Dipped Products PLC, Haycarb PLC, Hayleys Fibre PLC, Talawakelle Tea Estates PLC, Kelani Valley Plantations PLC, Horana Plantations PLC, Alumex PLC, Singer (Sri Lanka) PLC, The Kingsbury PLC and Hayleys Leisure PLC.
Appointed - March 2013
Mr. Eranga Rohan Peiris Goonetilleke joined Hayleys Fabric PLC, as Managing Director/CEO on the 1st of March 2013, and was appointed to the Group Management Committee in the same month. He also serves as Managing Director/CEO of South Asia Textiles Limited with effect from April 2021.
Prior to joining Hayleys Fabric PLC, he was appointed as a Director of Brandix X'pressions (Pvt) Limited and was appointed to the Board of CLT Apparel (India) (Pvt) Limited in January 2011, a fully-owned subsidiary of Brandix Lanka Limited. During the period 2003 to 2010 he was the Managing Director/CEO of Textured Jersey Lanka (Pvt) Limited, prior to which he was the Managing Director/ CEO of Linea Clothing (Pvt) Limited, a subsidiary of MAS Holdings (Pvt) Limited, and prior to that he was at Carson Cumberbatch & Company Limited as the CEO of Elpitiya Plantations Limited. He received his higher education in the United Kingdom qualifying as a Graduate Engineer (B. Sc. Eng.).
Appointed -October-2022
Ms. Brindhiini Perera has earned a Masters in Mechanical Engineering from Imperial College London. Her studies included comprehensive coverage of subjects such as Manufacturing Technology and Management, Entrepreneurship, Corporate Finance, Statistics, and Mathematics.
She serves as a Non-Executive Director in several companies listed on the Colombo Stock Exchange including Haycarb PLC, Dipped Products PLC, The Kingsbury PLC, Hayleys Leisure PLC, Singer (Sri Lanka) PLC, Vallibel One PLC, Royal Ceramics Lanka PLC, Lanka Tiles PLC, Lanka Walltiles PLC, and The Fortress Resorts PLC. She also serves on the Board of Eurocarb Products Ltd (UK), Delmege Limited, Otwo Biscuit (Private) Limited, The Canbury Biscuit Company Limited, Manatee Clothing Company (Pvt) Ltd and Dhammika & Priscilla Perera Foundation.
Appointed - November 2009
Fellow Member of the Institute of Chartered Accountants of Sri Lanka (CA Sri Lanka) and Member of Institute of Certified Management Accountants of Australia. Holds an MBA from the Postgraduate Institute of Management, University of Sri Jayewardenepura. Held several Senior Management positions in large Private Sector Entities in Sri Lanka as well as overseas.
Has responsibility for the Strategic Business Development Unit and Group Information Technology of the Hayleys Group.
Appointed as the Deputy Chairman of Alumex PLC in October 2020. He serves on the Boards of Hayleys PLC, Unisyst Engineering PLC, Dipped Products PLC, Haycarb PLC, Hayleys Fibre PLC, Kelani Valley Plantations PLC, Singer (Sri Lanka) PLC, The Kingsbury PLC, Hayleys Leisure PLC and Horana Plantations PLC.
Appointed - February 2012
Mr. Haresh Somashantha counts over 24 years of dynamic leadership career with a rich mix of finance and operations. He possesses an intimate knowledge of internal/ external processes, business planning and development, strategic and financial management. He is an expert with a track record in executing team driven process improvements with innovative solutions to increase revenue, operational efficiency, customer satisfaction and overall profitability.
He is a Fellow member of the Institute of Chartered Accountants of Sri Lanka, a Fellow member of the Institute of Certified Management Accountants of Sri Lanka and an Associate member of CPA Australia, further to holding B.Sc. in Mathematics.
He is the Director Finance of Royal Ceramics Lanka PLC (Rocell Group). Mr. Somashantha also serves as a Director/Audit Committee Member on the Boards of Vallibel Power Erathna PLC and Unidil Packaging Limited. His further Directorships include several subsidiary companies in the Delmege Group.
Appointed - January 2024
Mr. Nandana Ekanayake is a Fellow Member of the Institute of Chartered Accountants of Sri Lanka (FCA) possessing over 30 years of post-qualifying experience at different management levels. He is also an Associate Member of the Institute of Certified Practicing Accountants (CPA) Australia and a Fellow Member of the Certified Management Accountants (FCMA) of Sri Lanka.
He has also completed his executive education in London Business School in the UK and leadership education in International Institute for Management Development (IMD) in Switzerland both of which are world-renowned business schools.
Mr. Ekanayake is the current Chairman of Siam City Cement (Lanka) Ltd., Chairman of both Mahaweli Marine (Pvt) Ltd (a 90% owned subsidiary of Siam City Cement (Lanka) Ltd) and Insee Ecocycle Lanka (Pvt) Ltd (fully-owned subsidiary of Siam City Cement (Lanka) Ltd.
He has previously served as the Chairman/CEO of Siam City Cement (Lanka) Ltd and Vice President —Finance, IT and Procurement of Holcim Lanka Ltd — Colombo and as the General Manager of Ruhunu Cement Co. Ltd — Colombo. He has also served as the Finance Director of Holcim (Vietnam) Ltd, in Ho Chi Minh City for a period of 10 years.
Mr. Ekanayake is also a Senior Independent Director and Audit Committee Chairman of Kelani Valley Plantations PLC, and a Senior Independent Director of Talawakelle Tea Estates PLC.
He also served as an Independent Board Member of Biodiversity Sri Lanka for a two-year term from 2020 to 2022.
Appointed - January 2024
Mr. Nanda Fernando is a Banker with over four decades of experience in banking. He currently serves as a Business Consultant. He is the Managing Director of Professional Business Consultants, a Company engaged in providing financial planning and advisory services. He is a Director of Haycarb PLC, Dipped Products PLC, Hatton National Bank PLC, and Assetline Finance Ltd.
He is engaged in uplifting productivity in companies, resulting in increased stakeholder benefits. He possesses a proven track record of strategic leadership, business growth, and exceptional financial performance. He provided effective leadership to Sampath Bank, utilising his expertise to drive organisational success and deliver exceptional value to stakeholders.
He is also well-known for his proven professional skills in Financial Management and Analysis, Business Development and Growth, Risk Management and Compliance, Team Leadership and Talent Development, Operational Excellence, Stakeholder Engagement, and Relationship Management.
Prior to his current role, Mr. Fernando was attached to Sampath Bank as its Managing Director. He served Sampath Bank for 36 years from the year of its inception. Earlier in his career, he served Hatton National Bank PLC for almost 6 years.
He is a Senior Fellow of the Institute of Bankers Sri Lanka and possesses a Master of Business Administration from Sikkim Manipal University, India.
Appointed - January 2024
Mr. Andrew Mason has vast experience in the textile industry and is a strategic leader with a global perspective. He has end-to-end expertise in retail and supply chain management with the ability to connect long term strategy and medium term goals with successful short term execution.
He was Senior Vice President Technical Services - Mast Global, USA, Director Raw Materials - Mast Industries Inc. Reynoldsburg, Ohio, USA, where he led a Global Team of Technical Designers & Raw Material Developers across all lingerie, sleepwear & apparel for Victoria's Secret & Pink brands.
During his tenure as Vice President Global Raw Materials - Mast Global, USA he led a team of 100 global associates in 7 countries where he was responsible for total raw material sourcing and quality for L- Brands Lingerie & Apparel Divisions - Victoria's Secret Lingerie and Sport, Pink, and La Senza.
He was the Senior Vice President Technical Services - VS & Co, HCMC, Vietnam. He headed the product development teams in 4 regional offices covering 12 countries as Senior Vice President Technical Services - Victoria Secretes (VS & Co, HCMC), Vietnam. He led a global initiative for end-to-end cotton sourcing from farm to garment with a focus on cotton grown regeneratively.
He has extensive knowledge in the Fabric Industry and has worked in Sri Lanka for many years in the position of General Manager — Ocean Lanka Limited, a Sri Lankan fabric manufacturer, prior to leaving to the USA to work for Victoria's Secret
Mr. Mason professes extensive experience in Executive Leadership, where he has followed programs including, International Business and Culture, Managing Global Teams, Finance & Budgeting.
Mr. Mason holds BSc in Applied Chemistry (Textiles) from the Scottish College of Textiles, Galashiels, Scotland.
Appointed - January 2024
Mrs. Saumya Amarasekera, Attorney-at-Law, counts over 35 years in active legal practice mainly in Civil Law practising in the Original, Appellate and the Supreme Court. Her extensive knowledge and practice center around the areas of Property Law, Family Law, Testamentary Law, Trust and Condominium Law. In addition, she has a wide exposure and practice in handling litigation on behalf of Finance Companies, Banks, etc., in respect of money recovery cases. She has also participated in many arbitrations both local and international, as a Counsel as well as an Arbitrator.
She holds a degree in Master-of-Laws (LLM) from the University of Pennsylvania with particular emphasis on Insurance Law and the law of Defamation and Privacy.
Mrs. Amarasekera was appointed a President's Counsel in the year 2018.
She served as a Non-Independent, Non-Executive Director on the Board of Sampath Bank PLC and was thereafter appointed as its Deputy Chairperson and served as such until her retirement from Sampath Bank PLC in June 2020.
Mrs. Amarasekera presently serves as the Chairperson of the Advisory Committee appointed by the Ministry of Justice, for the review of the Registration of Title Act. She is currently serving as an Independent Non-Executive Director on the Board of WindForce PLC, Hayleys Fibre PLC, Kelani Valley Plantations PLC, and as a Member of the Board of the Data Protection Authority of Sri Lanka.
Appointed - May 2018
Mr. Rohitha Bandara joined in 2012 as Chief Financial Officer and was appointed to the Board on 15th May 2018 Mr. Rohitha Bandara is a Fellow of the Institute of Chartered Accountants of Sri Lanka (FCA) and Fellow Member of ACCA (UK). He holds a B.Sc. Management Special Degree from the University of Sri Jayewardenepura and in addition, an MBA in Finance from the University of Colombo. He is also qualified in AAT, ACMA (SL), ACPM, AIPFM (UK) and has over four years' experience with Ernst & Young in different industry segments in Sri Lanka and Singapore and over 15 years of manufacturing experience in textiles industry as Sector Head of Finance.
He has undergone several corporate leadership training programs including Corporate Leadership Program conducted by HIDA, in Japan.
He was appointed to the Board of South Asia Textiles Limited in 2021.
Appointed - April 2019
Mr. Malith Jayasinghe joined Hayleys Fabric PLC as a Management trainee, assumed duties with increased responsibilities in Sales and Marketing functions during his career. He counts for over 18 years of experience at Hayleys Fabric.
He was appointed to the Board of Hayleys Fabric PLC in 2019 and to the Board of South Asia Textiles Limited. in 2021.
Mr. Jayasinghe holds a B.Sc. Degree from the University of Colombo
Appointed - August 2020
Mr. Prasanna Pathirana is a Graduate in Business Management (Human Resource) Special from the University of Kelaniya. In addition, he holds a Diploma in Psychology from Sri Lanka Psychological Institute. He has over 16 years' experience in the field of Human Resource Management at leading local and multinational companies.
He was appointed to the Board of South Asia Textiles Limited in 2021.