First Capital Holdings Announces Board Appointments – Lanka Business Online

First Capital Holdings PLC, a member of the Janashakthi Group, is pleased to announce key appointments to its Board of Directors, effective June 28, 2024. Veteran banker Rajendra Theagarajah has been appointed as Chairman. He is joined by Inoshini Perera, Rachini Rajapaksa and Dilendra Wimalasekere as new Board members.

The appointment of Rajendra Theagarajah follows an illustrious tenure by Nishan Fernando as Chairman.

In addition, these new appointments follow the retirement of long-time independent non-executive director Chandana de Silva. These individuals have played a key role on the Board, shaping the vision, providing leadership and guidance that has enabled the Company to evolve into a preeminent corporate entity in Sri Lanka, characterised by
exceptional growth.

Rajendra Theagarajah – Independent Non-Executive Director/Chairman
Rajendra Theagarajah is an Associate Member of the Chartered Institute of Management Accountants, UK, an Associate Member of the Institute of Chartered Accountants of Sri Lanka and holds a Master of Business Administration from Cranfield School of Business, UK.

Rajendra has enjoyed great success in banking both in the UK and Sri Lanka. In his 36 year career, he has spent the last 16 years as CEO of three licensed commercial banks in Sri Lanka, making significant contributions to policy advocacy issues such as the Corporate Governance Framework for Banks, the adoption of Basel III and Fair Value Accounting by Banks.

Inoshini Perera – Independent Non-Executive Director

Inoshini Perera brings a blend of international experience from the UK and Singapore, combined with local expertise. He holds an MSc in Finance from the University of Cambridge, UK, and a BA in Economics with First Class Honours from the London School of Economics and Political Science,
Great Britain.

Her career spans a variety of specializations, including investment banking, management consulting, and corporate banking. She served as Vice President of Mergers and Acquisitions Advisory at Bank of America in the UK and held senior positions such as Associate Director at KPMG in Singapore and Standard Chartered Bank in Sri Lanka. Inoshini is currently an independent consultant and a board member at Verité Research.

Rachini Rajapaksa – Independent Non-Executive Director

Rachini Rajapaksa, a Fellow of the Chartered Institute of Management Accountants, UK and Chartered Financial Analyst of the CFA Institute, USA, has over 30 years of experience in fund and financial management. Rachini currently serves as an Independent Non-Executive Director of Nations Trust Bank PLC, Sri Lanka Accounting and Auditing Standards Monitoring Board, Asset Machinery & Equipment (Pvt) Ltd, Asset Enterprises (Pvt) Ltd and Lanka Bond House Ltd.

Dilendra Wimalasekere – Independent Non-Executive Director

Dilendra Wimalasekere is an entrepreneur with over 25 years of experience in building and running IT services and digital marketing companies. He is the founder of three Sri Lankan-based companies: Eureka Technology Partners, 24/7 Techies and ReapDigital, which leverage technology to deliver services globally.

Speaking about the new appointments, Dilshan Wirasekara, Managing Director/CEO, First Capital, said, “I am pleased to welcome our new Chairman and Board of Directors. Their proven track record and diverse skills will be invaluable as we navigate the future growth trajectory of the company. I extend my sincerest thanks to our outgoing Chairman, Nishan Fernando, and outgoing Director, Chandana de Silva, for their commitment and vision, which have been instrumental in our extraordinary success. On behalf of the entire First Capital family, I wish them all the best.”

“I consider it an honour to assume the role of Chairman of First Capital Holdings PLC. The organisation is an outstanding market leader in the Sri Lankan capital market space and I am committed to building on its legacy of excellence. I am grateful for the opportunity to work with such an energetic and experienced management team and a dedicated group of employees. Together we will realise First Capital’s strategic vision and achieve new levels of success,” said Rajendra Theagarajah, Chairman, First Capital.

With these appointments, the Board of Directors of First Capital Holdings PLC consists of Rajendra Theagarajah (Chairman), Manjula Mathews (Vice-Chairman), Dilshan Wirasekara (Managing Director/CEO), Ramesh Schaffter, Kuda Herath, Inoshini Perera, Rachini
Rajapaksa and Dilendra Wimalasekere.