MCLARENS - Key Persons


A. P. Basnayake

Job Titles:
  • Joint Managing Director
  • Fellow of the Ceylon Hotel School Graduates Association
  • Member of the Board of McLarens Hotels Ltd
After successfully completing his studies at the Institute of Administrative Accounts, A. P. Basnayake became a fellow of the Ceylon Hotel School Graduates Association following his graduation. Before joining McLarens, he held managerial positions at John Keells Hotels, Taj Samudra Hotel, Airport Garden Hotel, and Ramada Renaissance Hotel and has largely contributed to their businesses since he entered the hotel sector in 1980. Basnayake was appointed a member of the board of McLarens Hotels Ltd in 1998 and became the Joint Managing Director of McLarens Hotels on the 1st of January 2002. He also serves on the Board of Directors in McLarens Holiday Resorts (Pvt) Ltd, Emerald Lanka Hotels Ltd, and Speed Drome (Pvt) Ltd in the McLarens Group of Companies.

Ashan Welagedara

Job Titles:
  • C.E.O - GAC Group Sri Lanka
With experience, expertise, and knowledge gained by working in multinational organisations for over 26 years, Ashan Welagedara is part of the McLarens Group as CEO/ Director of GAC Sri Lanka. He started his career as a management trainee in 1994 at Mercantile Shipping Company. He was subsequently promoted to the position of Assistant Liner Manager. His work, fuelled by ambition, took him to Saudi Arabia, where he worked as a shipping supervisor at Faisal M. Higgi Shipping Services. Ashan joined GAC Sri Lanka in 2002 as a shipping executive, and today he's a director/ CEO at GAC Sri Lanka and World Subsea Services, and carried out operations at GAC in Qatar, Angola, and Congo. Ashan started his education at Trinity College, Kandy, where he completed his primary and secondary education. He holds an executive master's degree in business administration and an MBA in Supply Chain & Logistics Management from Cardiff Metropolitan University. Furthermore, Ashan has academically excelled in the fields of shipping and business management.

Bri Ponnambalam

Job Titles:
  • Director
  • Chairman of Alliance Agencies Limited
Bri Ponnambalam worked at Colonial Motors as a Technical Manager and was a Workshop Manager at Brown & Company PLC, one of the largest conglomerates in Sri Lanka. He was a Director of CFT Engineering Limited - a subsidiary of the Capital Maharaja Organisation Limited.Bri also contributed to the growth of Alliance Finance Company PLC and Arpico Finance Company PLC as a Director and the Chairman, respectively. Bri is currently the Chairman of Alliance Agencies Limited and Director of McLarens Lubricants Limited, Macbertan (Private) Limited, and Pidilite Lanka Private Limited. He also serves on the Board of The Autodrome PLC. He has completed a one-year training programme at the FIAT School, Italy, and Land Rover, the United Kingdom. Bri continues to showcase his expertise as an inspiring leader.

Chaminda Ediriwickrama

Job Titles:
  • Director Petroleum & Energy / Director Petroleum & Energy
  • Management Specialist
Chaminda Ediriwickrama is a Management Specialist with hands-on experience in marketing, business development, portfolio management, business process re-engineering and overall leadership of organizational management. He has over 30 years' experience as practitioner, consultant and facilitator in the given fields. Chaminda possesses a Diploma in Marketing, a MBA, a MSc and has extensive training both locally and internationally on marketing, BPR and Organizational management. Chaminda has been a dynamic change agent and catalyst contributing strategic BD and BPR initiatives for number of large organizations. He possesses experience in trading, business and market development, high end project initiatives, manufacturing/assembly, LPG, LNG & emerging areas of sustainable energy , construction and retailing businesses and involved in handling marketing & brand management, channel management, business development, commercial management, procurement & supply chain management. Chaminda earlier held the position of Cluster Director/CEO of Laugfs Gas PLC and it's subsidiaries in Sri Lanka and Overseas, Director - Sales and Marketing/Corporate Affairs at Litro Gas Lanka Limited and Litro Gas Terminal Lanka Limited (formerly SHELL Gas Lanka Ltd.) and Senior Vice President of Brown & Company PLC. He was the Chairman and Board Member at the State Development and Construction Corporation under the Ministry of Housing and Construction. In addition, he has held many Board positions and senior management positions at various corporate entities. Chaminda is a fellow member of the Sri Lanka Institute of Marketing and he is also a fellow member Charted Management Institute (CMI UK).

Chaminda Gunarathne

Job Titles:
  • Joint Managing Director
Chaminda Gunarathne joined McLarens Group in 1999 as a Management Trainee. Presently, he serves on the Boards of Directors of McLarens Lubricants Limited and McKupler Inc. - a Joint Venture between McLarens Lubricants Limited and Kupler Industries Inc, a leading distributor of ExxonMobil products in the Philippines. Since the start of his career, he has gained extensive experience in Sales, Marketing, and Business Management for over 20 years in various capacities such as Sales Executive, Area sales manager, General manager, and director / CEO. Chaminda earned his B.Sc. degree in Marketing Management (Special) from the University of Sri Jayewardenepura, Sri Lanka, and has also followed up to the licentiate level of the Institute of Chartered Accountants of Sri Lanka. Further, he has gained extensive knowledge of Lubricants fundamentals and lube applications in local and foreign training. He is currently one of the leading trainers in Sri Lanka who has conducted countless training and technical seminars in various sectors such as franchise car agencies, vehicle service stations, spare parts shops, technical colleges, transport associations, etc. Chaminda is an active member of the Technical advisory committee of Sri Lanka Standard Specification for lubricants and greases, a joint effort of the Ministry of Energy, Public Utilities Commission of Sri Lanka, and Institute of Sri Lanka standard. He has won many accolades from local and foreign principals in recognition of his outstanding contribution to the industry and business.

Chandana Wijesundara

Job Titles:
  • Contributor
  • Group Director Finance - MGML
Since his start at the McLarens Group in 2019, Chandana Wijesundara has been an essential contributor to the group's success. He serves the company as Finance Director. Whilst serving the director board of McLarens Management Group Limited, Chandana also lends his time and expertise to other group subsidiaries. He's also involved in the management of McKupler Inc. On his career trajectory to McLarens, he worked in trading, manufacturing, renewable energy, and property development. Chandana has extensive experience in the finance sector, which placed him on his career path. He holds a BSc degree in business administration from the University of Jayewardenepura and an MBA from the Postgraduate Institute of the Management University of Sri Jayewardenepura. Chandana is also a member of the Institute of Chartered Accountants of Sri Lanka and the Chartered Institute of Management Accountants of the United Kingdom.

Cheminda Amarasinghe

Job Titles:
  • Director
Cheminda Amarasinghe joined Macbertan, a leading manufacturer of expanded polyethylene products in Sri Lanka, in 1997 and was promoted to the Board of Directors in January 2013. He counts over 25 years of experience at all levels of sales and marketing and played a pivotal role in developing an island-wide distribution network for the company. As a highly competent leader, Cheminda oversees all aspects of Macbertan (Pvt) Limited and is responsible for managing overall operations - and developing and implementing strategies for the continuous growth of the business.

Dharshanie Illukpitiya

Job Titles:
  • Group Director Legal - MGML
  • Head of Legal Affairs
With legal expertise gained from formal education and working at Messrs. F.J. & G. de Saram, Dharshanie Illukpitiya is part of the McLarens Group in the capacity of a director. She's in charge of the Legal Division of the Group, which mainly concentrates on real estate, maritime and logistics, investment and general litigation. Dharshanie joined the group in 2013 as Head of Legal Affairs. She laid the foundation for her career at Messrs. F.J. & G. de Saram in 2002 and during her tenure there, she also worked as a legal officer for Hayleys Advantis Limited. In 2011. She also joined PT Agro Harapan Lestari as Manager of Legal.

Dilan Seneviratne

Job Titles:
  • Director / CEO - MLL 3M
Dilan Seneviratne began his professional journey at McLarens Shipping in 2001 as a Sales and Marketing Executive, where he remained in the business for two years before moving to the United Kingdom for a two-year stint to pursue his higher education. In 2006, Dilan returned to McLarens Group as a management trainee and advanced through many of the company's business areas such as 3PL management, shipping & logistics, prior to taking over as Key Accounts Manager at McLarens Lubricants Limited (MLL) in 2011.

Eshana De Silva

Job Titles:
  • Chairman - IOE
Eshana de Silva is the Chairman of National Development Bank PLC and was the chairman of the Pan Asia Banking Corporation PLC from 2016 to 2017. He has been the Honorary Consul of the Republic of Kazakhstan in Sri Lanka since 2011. As a professional who held several prestigious positions in the state sector, Eshana continues to showcase his expertise in management as a skilled leader. He is also the founder and chairman of Esna Group of Companies. Eshana holds numerous present and former positions, including the Chairman of Hanjin Shipping Lanka (Pvt) Ltd, Interocean Energy (Pvt) Ltd., Shermans Logistics (Pvt) Ltd, Esna Holidays, and Star Leisure (Pvt) Ltd. Eshana is an alumnus of Royal College of Colombo and a Young Presidents Organization (YPO) member. He is also a member of the Institute of Certified Professional Managers (MCPM) and an associate member of the United Kingdom Association of Professionals (AUKAP-UK). Eshana holds a Certificate in Global Diplomacy - University of London/SOAS University of London and was awarded the Global Commerce Excellence Award in 2011 for supporting the Sri Lankan economy from 1985 to 2009. In 2021, he was appointed a Council Member of the University of Moratuwa by the University Grants Commission.

Hemantha Varnasooriya

Job Titles:
  • Director
Hemantha Varnasooriya's contribution to the McLarens Group goes back twenty-five years. An excellent marine engineer, Hemantha has six years of experience in the marine sector. His engineering experience isn't limited to the marine sector; he worked in different branches of the engineering field over the years, including diesel power plants. Hemantha joined the McLarens family as a sales engineer, and his dedication and work ethic made him the Managing Director of McLarens Lubricants Limited. With an MBA from the Edith Cowan University of Australia, Hemantha has an excellent educational background.

Jayanth Perera

Job Titles:
  • Director

Jayantha Perera

Job Titles:
  • Executive Director
With extensive experience derived from a diverse range of industries, Jayantha Perera has served the McLarens Group as an Executive Director since 2019. He also holds directorial positions at Singer Finance PLC, Lanka Ratings Ltd, Inter-Ocean Energy (Pvt) Ltd, Qwest Destinations (Pvt) Ltd, Quest Cruises Ltd, Destinations Promotions Office, Sri Lankan Airlines Ltd, Sri Lanka Catering Services Ltd, ODEL PLC, Horana Plantations Ltd, and Premier Physicians Medical Group (Pvt) Ltd. Prior to joining the McLarens family, Jayantha offered his services to Hatton National PLC, later becoming a Senior Deputy General Manager. His tenure at Hatton National PLC placed him in the fields of general banking and treasury operations. He also contributed his time and experience to the success journey of numerous other companies in the banking and finance sector. The Chartered Institute of Bankers (London) and Chartered Institute of Marketing (London) are also included in his portfolio of alliances.

Lalith De Silva

Job Titles:
  • Joint Managing Director
Lalith De Silva has been serving McLarens Group for over 20 years as the Joint Managing Director of McLarens Lubricants Limited, the authorised distributor for ExxonMobil, the largest publicly traded international oil and gas company. As a visionary, he is responsible for the profitability and business development activities of the industrial, power, marine, automotive, and chemical sectors of the SBU-related products. He also specialises in marketing, implementing strategies, and directing the sales heads under his leadership to approach both local and international markets in business expansion. Lalith De Silva also serves as a Director for Hill house Trading, holding the responsibilities of profitability and business development for the Bitumen and Chemical sectors. Lalith's specialisation in sales and marketing spans over 30 years in the lubricants and automotive sectors, including his previous employment. He also gained experience in the pharmaceutical and overseas petroleum energy industries and was competent in handling dangerous cargo at DHL Middle East. With a passion for cycling, he has successfully completed numerous fundraising cycling campaigns across and around the island.

Lasantha Perera

Job Titles:
  • Deputy Managing Director - MGML
  • Member of the Board of McLarens Group Management Limited
A member of the Board of McLarens Group Management Limited, Lasantha Perera has been with the McLarens family for over 10 years. With his extensive experience in the finance sector, he's taken charge of the Group Finance Function, Group Treasury Function, and the Group Tax Division. Lasantha has 20 years' worth of experience, gained from working in healthcare, shipping, bunkering, treading, leisure, and property development. He worked with Hayleys and Durdans Hospital prior to joining the McLarens Group. His academic excellence was achieved through his years dedicated to studying Business Administration, and he has a BSc degree in Business Administration from the University of Sri Jayewardenepura. He is also a Fellow Member of the Chartered Institute of Management Accountants (CIMA-UK) and The Associate of Chartered Certified Accountants (ACCA-UK).

Mangala Gamage

Job Titles:
  • Director MGML
Mangala Gamage's journey with the McLarens Group started in 2018. He joined McLarens Holdings as a director and went on to become a board member at McLarens Group Management Limited. His purview includes group corporate and strategic planning, budgeting, KPI management, business process reengineering, group payroll function, and group property management. Most of Mangala's expertise and experience was gained from the banking and finance sector. HSBC Oman, Bank of Sohar Oman, Pan Asia Bank, and People's Bank were the financial institutions that benefited from Mangala's unwavering dedication and commitment. He also has extensive experience in strategic planning and execution, treasury, risk management, and process automation.

Mobil Delvac

Job Titles:
  • Leader
Mobil Delvac, a renowned leader in advanced heavy-duty lubricants, is excited to announce the relaunch of its engine oil lineup with enhanced performance and a brand-new look. This relaunch introduces two exceptional products specifically designed for diesel engines: Delvac Modern and Delvac Legend.

Mr. M. G. Padmabandu

Job Titles:
  • Deputy Chairman - IOE
After joining McLarens Group in April 1979 as a Management Trainee, M. G. Padmabandu played a significant role in the Wharf department, followed by departments of Operations, Documentation, and Container Leasing. He was appointed as the Accountant for McLarens Hotels and McLarens Shipping accounts in 1984. Padmabandu was later promoted to the Finance Manager position in March of 1998 and was appointed to the Board of Directors in August 1998. Padmabandu holds a B.Sc. degree in Physics, Mathematics, and Industrial Management. His profound dedication as the Deputy Chairman of Interocean Energy (IOE), a fully-owned subsidiary of the McLarens Group of Companies, has helped the organization reach greater heights.

Mr. Rohan De Silva - Chairman

Job Titles:
  • Chairman
  • Group Chairman, LMD 's a List "Captains of Business in 2020"
Mr. Rohan De Silva, Our awe-inspiring Group Chairman was listed amongst LMD's A List "Captains of Business in 2020", along with many other Corporate Front-runners across industries. A constant innovator, Rohan De Silva has created McLarens group companies across different regions, with insight, conviction and passion for excellence. McLarens group is currently rated as the single largest shipping service provider in Sri Lanka in terms of the number of ship calls and containers handled annually in the country. Under Rohan's meticulous business expansion expertise, the company has made several large investments in the field of shipping, marine and logistics to provide multiple support services to the industry. Rohan has served in diverse roles across many private and public sector boards. He is the Honorary Consul for the Republic of Namibia in Sri Lanka. He has been a highly successful motor racing driver and an avid and talented badminton player at national & international levels. He serves as the President of Sri Lanka Badminton since 2019 to date.

Ms. Chamari Dias

Job Titles:
  • Deputy Managing Director - MGML
Chamari Dias holds several directorial positions in the subsidiaries of the McLarens Group, including McLarens Group Management Limited, McLarens Shipping Ltd, McLarens Hotels Ltd, GAC Marine Services (Pvt) Ltd, GAC Logistics Ltd, McOcean Logistics Ltd, and Spectra Logistics. She was previously involved in the management of McLarens Holdings Ltd and serves as director of the compliance and risk management sector of the group. Her academic achievements include a Bachelor of Commerce with second class honours from the University of Colombo. She also shares her time and experience with the Institute of Chartered Accountants of Sri Lanka, the Certified Management Accountants of Sri Lanka, and the Institute of Certified Professional Managers of Sri Lanka. Furthermore, she was a deciding voice in the Annual Report Awards competition organised by CA Sri Lanka.

Ms. Shehara De Silva

Job Titles:
  • Group Managing Director
  • Best Corporate Leader of the Year
  • Group Joint Managing Director Was Awarded With " Best Corporate Leader of the Year"
One of the youngest women to lead within the shipping and maritime industry, Shehara De Silva, fortifies the McLarens Group with her dynamism and passion. She possesses a Master's Degree in Shipping, Trade, and Finance from City University, CASS Business School, London, UK and a Bachelor's Degree in Economics from The London School of Economics, UK. Shehara's journey with McLarens goes back to 2003 when she first joined the company as Manager of Business Development. Her spectacular talent in identifying and devising ways to be innovative has been behind the group's innovative outlook. Her female leadership is governed by modern and innovative thinking, making her one of the savviest business leaders in the industry. Shehara was appointed as the first female Office-Bearer in the 50-year history of the Ceylon Association of Shipping Agents (CASA) - the leading voice of the shipping industry in Sri Lanka. She was the founding president of WISTA Sri Lanka (Women's International Shipping and Trading Association) a movement which has changed and empowered women in the maritime industry. Shehara has been awarded many accolades over the years and is also a formula car racing driver.

Navin Perera

Job Titles:
  • Director - Logistics & NVOCC, GAC Group of Companies, Sri Lanka
Navin Perera carries 2 decades of experience in the fields of Ships Agency Liner / NVOCC / Tramp , ship supply services, physical bunker supplies ,bunker trading & brokering, logistics, freight management , customs house brokerage and project logistics. He holds an MBA from the Cardiff Metropolitan University, UK and is a member of The Chartered Institute of Logistics and Transport (CILT, UK) as well a member of the Institute of Chartered Ship Brokers (ICS, UK). He served the Young Shipping Professionals of CASA in the capacity of Chairman and offered guidance to the youth of CASA. Navin is also the founder and patron of YoungShip Sri Lanka He served as an Exco Member of the ICS Sri Lanka Branch and SLANA - Sri Lanka Association of NVOCC Agents. At present, he is serving as an Exco member of the Sri Lanka Freight Forwarders Association (SLFFA).

Oshan Fernando - CEO, COO

Job Titles:
  • Group Chief Executive Officer
  • Group Chief Operating Officer
Oshan has been investing his time and effort in the success of the McLarens Group since he became Executive Director and Group Chief Operating Officer in 2019. He also lends his time and expertise to Interocean Group in the capacity of a director. His vocational journey prior to McLarens placed him in the management of John Keells and Freight Links International. He also excels in academia with an MBA that specialises in Finance and Human Resources.

Ramani Ponnambalam - Managing Director

Job Titles:
  • Director
  • Managing Director
With an admirable work ethic, skill set, and experience, Ramani Ponnambalam serves the McLarens Group as a managing director. She works in product development and business development, both at a local and international level. Ramani also holds a position as an independent non-executive director and audit committee member at Kingsbury PLC & Hayley's Leisure PLC. Ramani's expertise and dedication extend beyond her professional sphere. She also contributes her time to the Women's Chamber of Industry & Commerce in the capacity of Vice-Chairperson.

Ravi Edirisinghe

Job Titles:
  • Leader
  • Group Chief Commercial Officer
With nearly three decades of serving commercial organisations as a director and CEO, Ravi Edirisinghe is a leader with an unwavering commitment to growing businesses. He has served local, multinational, and Fortune 500 companies as an experienced professional and served as a consultant to the government of Sri Lanka on infrastructure development and technology enhancement. He currently holds the position of Group Chief Commercial Officer of McLarens Group. Ravi holds a Ph.D. in Financial Economics, an MSc in Supply chain & Logistics, and a Master's in Business Administration, in addition to his triple qualification in Finance and accounting. Ravi has also been working as a visiting lecturer at the Postgraduate Institute of Management (PIM) for 13 years to impart knowledge in Strategic Finance and Analytics to MBA students.

Romesh De Livera

Job Titles:
  • Director MHL
Romesh De Livera has been a member of the McLarens family since 1991; he serves the group as a board director. A qualified naval architect with a BSc Honours degree in naval architecture and shipping science, and a member of the Royal Institute of Naval Architects (MRINA), Romesh contributes to the Company's forward-thinking attitude with his proven skills and extensive experience in the shipping industry. He was responsible for securing several prestigious new businesses for the Group's Shipping Sector. His curriculum isn't limited to the shipping vocation; he is also a regular speaker and an honoured guest at industry-related events in Sri Lanka and other countries. He also appeared on Llyod's List considering his valuable contribution to the container industry.

Sajitha Munasinghe

Job Titles:
  • Group Director Corporate Secretarial - MGML
Sajitha Munasinghe's dedication, commitment, and skills have been part of the group's success since she first joined the company in 2007. In recognition of her talents, she was appointed to the board of directors in 2019. Prior to holding a directorial position, she served McLarens Group in the capacity of the group senior manager in charge of the Secretarial Department of McLarens Holdings Ltd. Sajitha's vocational journey commenced in 1995 when she started working for V W Kularatne Associates as a junior attorney. After which, she was hired by Delmege Group and CBL Group to fine-tune the legal and secretarial departments of the companies. Her hard-earned and well-deserving educational qualifications include an attorney's diploma in intellectual property and a certificate in shipping law & practice.

Shanil Perera

Job Titles:
  • Mechanical Engineer
  • Managing Director - Interocean Energy ( Pvt ) Ltd
As a qualified mechanical engineer, Shanil Perera has leveraged his expertise in many organizations. He currently holds the positions of General Manager and Managing Director of Interocean Energy (IOE), a subsidiary of the McLarens Group and a world-renowned company specialising in bunkering ships. Shanil also oversees the operations of the McLarens Maritime Academy (MMA) as the Managing Director, apart from being responsible for handling the technical matters of 10 companies of the McLarens Group. Prior to joining Interocean Energy, Shanil contributed to the growth of Lanka Marine Services (Pvt) Ltd (a subsidiary of John Keells Holdings) and the Colombo Dockyard PLC as a skilled professional. He earned his B.Sc. degree in Mechanical Engineering from the University of Moratuwa and is also a Chartered Mechanical Engineer and a Corporate Member of the Institution of Engineers, Sri Lanka.

Thushara Jayasuriya

Job Titles:
  • CEO - Spectra Logistics
As an experienced, visionary leader, Thushara Jayasuriya has steadfastly committed to the logistics and supply chain industry. Skilled in supply chain optimisation, third-party logistics (3PL), budgeting, business planning, operations management, project management, designing supply chain solutions, route planning, and network optimisation in logistics, Thushara demonstrates his expertise as an ambitious and skilled professional. He was an inspiring mentor for many talented young undergraduates in supply chain and logistics and helped them succeed in their careers in the supply chain and logistics industry. Thushara earned his Master of Business Administration (MBA) from the University of Wales, Cardiff. He is also a fellow member of the Institute of Chartered Professional Managers (CPM) of Sri Lanka, and a Chartered member of Chartered Institute of Logistics and Transportation, (CILT) UK, and a member of Chartered Institute of Marketing,(CIM) UK.

Thushara Perera

Job Titles:
  • Director
Thushara Perera's career journey goes back to 1993. He started as an operations executive at Hoegh Lines before transferring to OEL. During his time at OEL, he gained experience in operations and contributed to the company's expansion. In 2002, he joined CMA-CGM Lanka in the capacity of Operations Manager. After that, his career skyrocketed, and he ended up at CMA-CGM Indonesia, overlooking eight Indonesian ports. During his stint in Indonesia, he devised a method to centralise all the back office work to Jakarta; the company entrusted similar projects to Thusara, which he undertook in Japan, Malaysia, and Thailand. His excellent work took him to several Asian and Middle-eastern destinations. In 2021, he moved back to Sri Lanka and joined MGML as a board director, and he currently serves the McLarens Group as a director at Spectra Logistics. Thushara has unparalleled experience in shipping, freight forwarding, depot management, and river barge operations.