DANUSHKA MALLAWARACHCHI
Board Chairman
DANUSHKA MDDN MALLAWARACHCHI (Non-Executive Director)
Mr. Danushka MDDN MALLAWARACHCHI is a seasoned accountant who began his career at KPMG Sri Lanka as an Audit Trainee, eventually rising to the position of Assistant Manager. In 2011, he joined LOLC Holdings in Sri Lanka as an Assistant Finance Manager and has since progressed to the role of Assistant General Manager. He currently oversees the financial operations of LOLC Group’s international subsidiaries, including those in Indonesia, the Philippines, Myanmar, Kenya, Tanzania, and Zimbabwe. He also holds directorships on the boards of several other companies within the LOLC Group.
Danushka brings extensive expertise in corporate finance, internal controls, process re-engineering, IFRS implementation, investment analysis, and restructuring. He holds an MBA from the prestigious University of Colombo in Sri Lanka and He is an Associate Member of both the Institute of Chartered Accountants of Sri Lanka and the Chartered Institute of Management Accountants (UK). Danushka also serves as a Board Chairman on the Board of Fina Trust, where he provides strategic financial insights and process re-engineering initiatives for the bank.
BUDDIKA WICKRAMAARACHCHI
MD/CEO
BUDDIKA WICKRAMAARACHCHI (MD/CEO)
Buddika is a seasoned banking professional with 20+ years’ experience in the Banking and Finance sector. He has applied his versatile experiences and strong knowledge of financial services & operations for greater challenges, benefits, and rewards, whilst optimizing productivity and utilizing skills in producing excellent financial outcome in meeting overall objectives.
He has a proven track record in carrying out resourceful abilities in a diverse array of functions to include, business performance management, employing team driven process and systems and creating high performance teams. He has a track record of achieving growth in top-line, bottom -line, market share and reputational capital.
In 2021, he was appointed as the Country Head of Tujijenge Financial Services Limited, Tanzania (under LOLC Overseas Operations) where he was responsible for the turning-around of the entity following LOLC acquisition and overall operations. Following his successful footprints in Tanzania, he was appointed as Managing Director and Chief Executive Officer of Fina Trust Microfinance Bank Limited effective from July 1, 2023.
Among qualifications, he holds a Post-graduate Diploma in Business Administration and a Master’s in Business Administration from Cardiff Metropolitan University in the United Kingdom.
ISHARA NANAYAKKARA
Non-Executive Director
ISHARA NANAYAKKARA (Non-Executive Director)
Mr. ISHARA NANAYAKKARA is prominent entrepreneur serving on the Boards of many corporates and conglomerates in the region. He initially ventured into the arena of financial services with a strategic investment in Lanka ORIX Leasing Company PLC and was appointed to the Board in 2002. Today, he is the Deputy Chairman of LOLC Holdings PLC, along with directorships in many of its subsidiaries and associate companies.
Backed by close to two decades of professional experience in the industry, Mr. Nanayakkara currently holds the role of Executive Chairman of LOLC Development Finance PLC, as well as LOLC Life Assurance Limited. In recent years, he has also held the role of Chairman of Commercial Leasing & Finance PLC, one of Sri Lanka’s leading financial service providers for over 30 years, Executive Deputy Chairman of LOLC Finance PLC, the largest NBFI in the country, as well as Deputy Chairman of Seylan Bank PLC, a premier commercial bank in the country. His commitment to catering to the entire value chain of the finance sector manifested in the development of Micro Finance, Islamic Finance, factoring through LOLC Factors, and insurance through LOLC Life & General Insurance Companies.
Leveraging LOLC Group’s expertise in the SME sector, the expansion into the Micro Sector was spearheaded by Mr. Nanayakkara, who played a pivotal role in the proliferation of the Group’s unique and internationally recognized microfinance business model. He also holds a directorship at PRASAC, the largest microfinance Company in Cambodia, since 2007. Mr. Nanayakkara’s interest in microfinance lead to the inauguration of LOLC Myanmar Micro Finance Company Ltd, a green field investment in Myanmar in which he was the founding Chairman, and currently serves as a Director. His proficiency in micro finance in the region is further demonstrated by his contribution at the strategic level in LOLC Cambodia PLC (Previously known as Thaneakea Phum Ltd); one of the top microfinance companies in Cambodia. In line with Mr. Nanayakkara’s vision to elevate LOLC Group as a global player with a multi-currency, multi-geographic MSME platform, the Group’s expanding overseas footprint has seen him assume the role of Director in Pak Oman Microfinance Bank, Pakistan, as well as LOLC Philippines Corporation and LOLC Philippines Capital Holdings Corporation. He was also appointed as a Director in LOLC International Private Limited & LOLC Private Limited.
Mr. Nanayakkara’s motivation to expand into various growth peripheries is further illustrated through his role as the Executive Chairman of Brown & Company PLC. Through diverse strategic investments, he is steadfast in his aim to catalyse development in the growth sectors of the Sri Lankan economy. Mr Nanayakkara’s involvement in the Boards of Browns Investments PLC, Ceylon Graphene Technologies (Pvt.) Ltd, Sri Lanka Institute of Nano Technology (Pvt.) Ltd, Associated Battery Manufacturers (Cey) Ltd and Sierra Constructions Ltd, reflects this business philosophy.
Endorsing his entrepreneurial spirit, Mr. Ishara Nanayakkara received the prestigious ‘Young Entrepreneur of the Year’ Award at the Asia Pacific Entrepreneurship Awards (APEA) in 2012. He holds a diploma in Business Accounting from Australia.
TEMITOPE POPOOLA
Non-Executive Director
TEMITOPE POPOOLA (Non-Executive Director)
Mrs. Popoola is a self-starter and very successful entrepreneur. A graduate of Geography and Planning from Lagos State University, Lagos State Nigeria. She is an astute Banker with 12 years’ experience in the Banking Industry. Tope started her career with Guaranty Trust Bank as a Relationship Officer and she rose to the post of Head, Risk Control and Risk Management/ Assurance Unit. She later became the Chief Operating Officer of Conrad Clark Nigeria Limited where she was till she retired to establish her own business in 2015.
She has vast experience in proactive monitoring of risk profiles, developing relevant key risk indicators organization wide, data analysis and risk intelligence. She is also verse in operation risks, fraud risk and legal risk. She is currently the MD/ CEO Of Le Lux Convenience Limited.
ROHANA KUMAR
Non-Executive Director
ROHANA KUMARA (Non-Executive Director)
Rohana is currently the CEO of LOLC Development Finance Plc, and also the Regional Director for the subsidiaries of LOLC in Pakistan, Indonesia and Africa. He is also a member of the Board in LOLC subsidiaries in Pakistan, Indonesia, Kenya and Zambia.
He has more than 24 years’ experience of overseeing SME & Micro –Finance Companies in Sri Lanka, some Asian Region and African Region respectively. He has an Intermediate Diploma from Institute of Bankers Sri Lanka; he then proceeded to obtain a Post-Graduate Diploma in Marketing from the Chartered Institute of Marketing, United Kingdom. He later obtained a Master’s in Business Administration from the Cardiff Metropolitan University, United Kingdom.
Prior to joining the LOLC group in 1993 as a marketing executive, he has worked in Seylan Bank Plc; through hard work and dedication, he rose through the ranks and became the Chief Operating Officer of Lanka Orix Leasing Company in 2014 and then became the Chief Executive Officer of LOLC Development Finance Plc in 2016.
GBOGBOADE AKINDELE
Non-Executive Director
MR. GBOGBOADE AKINDELE (Non-Executive Director)
Mr. Gbogboade Akindele is an astute Banker with over 30 years’ experience in banking, telecoms, accounting and audit practice. He also possesses over 13 years’ experience in senior procurement leadership covering Africa and Middle East regions. He is currently the Managing Director of Diversified Procurement Solutions Limited, a foremost procurement business which provides professional advisory services and strategy development for major Businesses in Nigeria.
He has spent quite a lot of his professional years as a key Senior Management Staff with financial institutions like Standard Chartered Bank Group ( Africa Middle East Regional Office), Intercontinental Bank Plc (now Access Bank plc) , Metropolitan Bank (now UBA Plc), Devcom Bank Limited (now Sterling Bank Plc) to mention a few. He is an Associate Member of the Chartered Institute of Taxation of Nigeria (CITN), a fellow of the Chartered Institute of Procurements and Supply (CIPS) (UK), and a fellow of the Institute of Chartered Accountants of Nigeria (ICAN). He is also a fellow of Institute of Credit Administration (FICA)
He is also the Founding Partner at Gbogboade Akindele and Co (Chartered Accountants), a leading firm of Accounting Professionals and Chartered Accountants with vast experience in Taxation.
He assumes the position of an Independent (Non-Executive) Director on the Board of Finatrust Microfinance Bank.
WARNAKULASURIYA BARNABAS
Non-Executive Director
WARNAKULASURIYA DON BARNABAS (Independent Non-Executive Director)
Mr. Warnakulasuriya Don Barnabas is an experienced and versatile financial professional with a strong background in analytical and credit skills. He played a key role in establishing ICRA Lanka Limited, a group company of Moody’s. At the time of his retirement, it was one of the leading credit rating agencies in Sri Lanka. Additionally, he has held leadership positions as Managing Director/CEO in various financial institutions and real estate companies across the Maldives and Sri Lanka.
Mr. Barnabas brings a wealth of experience in driving shareholder returns and facilitating company growth. He earned a First Class degree in Physics from the University of Madras in India in 1980 and later obtained his MBA from the University of Colombo in Sri Lanka. Throughout his career, he has held senior positions at the NDB Bank Limited, including as CEO/Director of NDB housing bank and has served on the boards of several notable companies, including Ayojana Fund Management (PVT) Limited, a joint venture between NDB and the Commonwealth Development Corporation of the UK, and NDBS Stockbrokers (PVT) Limited, a joint venture between DBS Securities of Singapore and NDB. He currently serves as an Independent Non-Executive Director on the Board of Fina Trust.
DR. OLUMIDE OLAYINKA
Non-Executive Director
DR. OLUMIDE OLAYINKA (Non-Executive Director)
Dr. Olayinka is a seasoned legal practitioner with over 32 years of experience. A graduate of the University of Lagos, he was called to the Nigerian Bar in 1992, and he also possesses a Ph.D. in law from the University of Leeds Beckett University, United Kingdom. He has held notable roles as a lawyer; he once held the role of a senior state counsel at the Ogun State, Ministry of Justice; he has also held the position of General Counsel for 12 years at Troyka Group Lagos where he managed the legal department effectively.
He is currently a partner at Cannan Solicitors, Lagos and also works as a part-time facilitator at the University of Lagos Business School, Akoka Yaba, Lagos State. Asides being a member of the Nigerian Bar Association; he is a member, chartered institute of arbitrators of the United Kingdom, member of the institute of chartered mediators and conciliators of Nigeria and an associate, institute of chartered secretaries and administrators of Nigeria (ICSAN)