November 17, 2021
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6min

 




 

 

Kapruka, Sri Lanka’s largest locally owned e-commerce enterprise with a global presence, recently welcomed two new members to its Board of Directors. The new Board members, Mrs. Priyanthi Pieris, Attorney-at-Law of the Supreme Court of Sri Lanka, Solicitor of England and Wales, will serve as a Non-Executive Independent Director, and Mr. Tishan Subasinghe, Fellow and Council Member of the Institute of Chartered Accountants of Sri Lanka, will also serve as a Non-Executive Independent Director.

Announcing the new appointments, Dulith Herath, the Founder and CEO of Kapruka said, “A diverse corporate governance team, comprised of highly qualified and experienced individuals can ensure the stability, growth and sustainability of a business. We are strengthening our dynamic leadership team to ensure that we are able to deliver maximum value to our stakeholders. On behalf of Kapruka, I take this opportunity to welcome both Mrs Pieris and Mr Subasinghe, to our Board and look forward to working together with these two high-achieving and respected individuals as we begin the next stage of Kapruka’s growth journey.”

Mrs. Priyanthi Pieris, has over 40 years of experience in the field of Corporate/Securities Law. Her expertise spans across handling corporate restructuring, privatizations, capital market transactions, takeovers, mergers and amalgamations. Mrs. Pieris also serves on the Boards of JAT Holdings PLC, Associated Electrical Corporation Limited and MTN Corporate Consultants (Private) Limited and is the Chairperson/Consultant of P W Corporate Secretarial (Private) Limited – a firm that provides capital markets-related services. She has also served as a legal advisor to the Ministry of Finance, as a legal consultant to the Colombo Stock Exchange and as a member of the SEC’s Committee on Takeovers and Mergers Code. She also served as a member of the Corporate Governance Committee set up by the Institute of Chartered Accountants and a member of Sri Lanka Law Commission.

Mr. Tishan Subasinghe is the Managing Director and Joint Managing Partner of Moore Stephens Consulting (Private) Limited and Moore Stephens Aiyar, respectively. Additionally, he is presently a Council Member of the University of Moratuwa, Chairman of the Sanasa General Insurance Company Limited and a Director at Amana Bank PLC, having previously served as the Head of Audit and Assurance at BDO Partners. Mr. Subasinghe holds an MBA in Finance from the University of Colombo and is a Certified Information Systems Auditor (CISA-USA). His influence and expertise are global, as he maintains working relationships with PwC in New York, Philadelphia and Botswana. He has received international training in the USA, Hong Kong, Bangkok, Hyderabad, Mumbai, Malaysia, Indonesia and Rome in areas such as Sarbanes Oxley section 404 integrated audits, audit software and the adoption of IFRSs. He is also a visiting lecturer and a trainer at leading local and foreign universities, while also being a member of the Presidential Commission for the Simplification of Laws and Regulations, and a member of the CBSL’s Advisory Committee for the revival of failed Licensed Finance Companies.

Founded in 2002, Kapruka is Sri Lanka’s first and largest locally owned e-commerce enterprise. The company, through its website, facilitates online purchasing of goods for its Sri Lankan and expatriate customer base. The Company has a well-integrated supply chain and sells its own-label products, predominantly, Kapruka cakes, flowers and value-added fruits and vegetables. The Company partners with over 500 high-end brands and executes order fulfilment and last-mile delivery for its online orders. Kapruka strives to provide a non-marketplace model and a superior online shopping experience to consumers.

The Company caters to over 1.1 Mn expatriate Sri Lankans, predominantly in the USA, who regularly use Kapruka to send gifts to their families and friends in Sri Lanka. Further, the Company offers Sri Lankan brands on global e-commerce platforms such as Amazon, eBay, Etsy and Walmart, and is the e-distributor/e-commerce retailer for well-established brands such as Dilmah, Akbar, Link Samahan and many more. Kapruka is also one of the few e-commerce companies in Sri Lanka that generates US dollar revenues by serving expatriate Sri Lankans and other global customers. The Company has its central office located in Colombo, along with offices in the USA, the UK and Australia.

 

 

 



 

 

 


September 6, 2021
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4min

 




 

 

Colombo, Sri Lanka – September 06, 2021

Kelsey Developments PLC, a member of the Janashakthi Group and the pioneering real estate developer in Sri Lanka announced the appointment of industry veteran Prof. Chitra Weddikkara as an Independent Non-Executive Director of the organization with effect from 2nd September 2021.

Prof. Chitra Weddikkara has the unique distinction of being a Chartered Architect, Chartered Quantity Surveyor and Project Manager, Adjudicator and counts well over 30 years of experience in the design and the construction industry both in Sri Lanka and overseas. She has a Class A registration from the Engineers and Engineering Offices Accrediting Committee of the Ministry of Municipality and Urban Planning, Qatar.

Her work experience includes several key academic roles in Sri Lanka and overseas in addition to her directorships and advisory positions for multiple committees in the Government of Sri Lanka. She is currently the Chairperson of Qserve group of companies that carries out consultancies in cost monitoring and management of buildings, contract administration, construction audits and project management.

“It is my great pleasure to welcome Prof. Chitra Weddikkara to the Board of Kelsey Developments PLC at this evolving time for the organisation with our renewed strategy for exponential growth as a member of Janashakthi Group. With the organisation’s thrust into the national housing development business her unique expertise and experience in the industry for over three decades which will help us evolve our strategy to better serve our customers and communities” said Eardley Perera, Chairman of Kelsey Developments PLC.

“I’m excited to join a pioneering organization that is revolutionizing the real estate industry in Sri Lanka. I look forward to contributing to the growth and success of Kelsey Homes as the company continues to cater to the rising demand for residential developments with high quality housing solutions”, said Prof. Chitra Weddikkara, Independent Non-Executive Director of Kelsey Developments PLC.

As the pioneer in Sri Lanka’s housing and real estate market, Kelsey Homes’ reputation and success are built on a clear strategy that focuses on servicing the residential housing market. This is also an evolving and exciting period for the organisation as a result of the exponential growth strategies to further strengthen the Group companies; First Capital, Janashakthi Life, Orient Finance and Kelsey Homes as Janashakthi Group. Being a stakeholder in the local housing market for over 35 years, the Company has been credited with setting in motion the paradigm shift that has transformed residential housing into what it is today. These initiatives further strengthen the business strategies of Kelsey Homes to drive business growth and serve all aspiring homeowners.

With the latest appointment, the Kelsey Developments PLC Board of Directors comprises of Eardley Perera – Chairman, Prakash Schaffter, Roshni Fernando, ACM Gagan Bulathsinghala, Arul Sivagananathan and Prof. Chitra Weddikkara.

 

 

 



 

 

 



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