Executive Committee
NATIONAL PRESIDENT – DILKIE PERERA
| Dilkie Perera is a Chartered Accountant (CA- SL) and a CPA (AUS). Dilkie is currently the first National President (2017/18) of the Council, (after serving the last 9 years as the President) and Vice President of the South Asian Public Affairs Council (SAPAC), where she is engaged in promotion of Trade, Business and investment. Dilkie is a dynamic leader and has extensive experience in product development and promotion, organising Trade fares, leading Trade delegations and organising and presenting at seminars. Dilkie has successfully facilitated many Sri Lankan ministerial delegations to Victoria, through the Aus-Lanka Business Council, such as State Banks, the Tourist Board, Tea Board, IT & BPO delegations and the Central Bank, including the 2013 CHOGM in Colombo working closely with the Commonwealth Business Council in the UK. Dilkie has also participated in Asia Pacific Business Council Conference in Colombo. |
| In Sri Lanka Dilkie has held many top Finance positions in large state-owned corporations, engaged in mining, licensing, agriculture, manufacturing, infrastructure development, engineering and capability building. Dilkie has served in ministerial tender Boards for large worldwide tenders, managed Asian Development Bank (ADB) funded infrastructure and factory building projects, and headed many capital restructure projects for the Treasury of Sri Lanka.Her professional career in Australia has many years of experience where she worked in top accounting and insolvency firms, high-end property developers and consulting firms. This has exposed her to many regulatory Acts and personal and commercial litigation. Dilkie currently operates as a business consultant. Dilkie Has managed to lift the profile of the Business Council to one of the most sought after organisations by Business leaders and institutions. |
KOSALA JAYASINGHE – Ex Officio, Founder President
| Mr. Kosala Jayasinghe (M.Sc, MBA, MEng, MIE Aust CPEng), formed Kapruka Pty Ltd in 1999 when working as a Sales Consultant to promote investment properties. In 2000, Remittance services commenced following the signing of an agreement with People’s Bank of Sri Lanka.With a background in Engineering and Banking, Mr. Jayasinghe worked for 10 years at the Ceylon Steel Corporation as an engineer and for 5 years at DFCC as the Head of Business promotions. He has a Master of Science in Mechanical Engineering from the Friendship University in Moscow obtained in 1973 and also a Master in Business Management from the University of Sri Jayawardenapura obtained in 1986. |
| Kosala also has a Master of Engineering in Project Management from the RMIT obtained in 1994.From 1991 to 1996 Mr Jayasinghe established and managed a branch office, Grid Australia , for the Grid Group of Companies with its head office in the Netherlands trading mainly with Russia. In 1996 Mr Jayasinghe moved to Moscow as a Project Manger to set up a trading unit with Sri Lanka for the company. In 1997 he joined Eswaran Brothers International setting up a tea distribution network for the company in Moscow. On his return to Australia in 1999, Mr. Jayasinghe worked briefly as a Sales Consultant for an Investment property company.Having commenced the remittance service Mr. Jayasinghe was constantly looking to improve it. In order to provide the best possible service to Kapruka customers Mr. Jayasinghe successfully negotiated with the other major banks in Sri Lanka and agreements were signed with the Hatton National Bank (HNB), Seylan bank, Sampath Bank and Commercial Bank and in 2008 Bank of Ceylon. Raising the bar once again by moving over to the eBanking service introduced by most of the Sri Lankan banks, it has been possible to provide Kapruka customers with a reliable service that enables the funds to be received the same. |
VICE PRESIDENT – MOHAN PERERA
| Mohan Perera is former Director/Gen. Manager of the cargo arm of Sri Lanka’s leading conglomerate Aitken Spence & Co. Plc. He has over 30 years experience in the industry and was the Country General Manager for Sri Lanka and the Maldives of the leading integrator TNT Express worldwide.During his stint in Sri Lanka, he led his company to many accolades, the proudest being winning the National Quality Award in 2004, based on the principals of the US Malcolm Baldridge Award. He has since moved to Victoria, Australia and transferred his expertise and wealth of experience to Transco International (Australia) Pty Ltd, one of the leading freight forwarding company’s in Australia. He currently holds the position of Managing Director / C.E.O of Transco International (Aust) Pty Ltd. |
| Mohan was Hon. Secretary and then Vice President National Chamber of Exporters of Sri Lanka (NCE).Also a founder member and then President of the Sri Lanka Air Express Companies Association of Sri Lanka.He was the Vice President of the Foundation for National Civilian Bravery of Sri Lanka.In Sri Lanka he was a continuous supporter and volunteer for the “Walk the World Program” which was done in collaboration between the UN-WFP and TNT International as a fundraiser cum acknowledging awareness program on global hunger.Currently Vice President Aus-Lanka Business Council and Immediate Past President of Old Josephians’ Club of Australia.Year 2015 Transco was awarded the Serendib Gold Award for Best Freight Forwarder. |
VICE PRESIDENT - DUSHAN PERERA
TREASURER – OSWALD SILVA
| Oswald Silva, a Chartered Accountant qualified in Sri Lanka, is the Principal Consultant at JS Business Consulting in Melbourne.Oswald’s career spans over 30 years working with Ernst & Young Sri Lanka, KPMG Jamaica and multinational corporates in Australia and overseas in Senior Managerial positions.Oswald has served on many Boards and management committees within private, multi-national, public and not-for-profit organisations.Oswald is also a Fellow Member – Australian Society of CPAs, Fellow Member – CIMA, UK, and has a Post Graduate Diploma in eCommerce, Deakin University, Australia. |
SECRETARY – SAVINDHI JAINUDEEN
| Savindhi was born in Melbourne and educated at Camberwell Girls Grammar School. She has completed a Bachelor of Economics with majors in Economics and Politics and a Master of Diplomacy and International Trade, both undertaken at Monash University. She was awarded a Monash University Vice Chancellor’s Ancora Imparo Leadership Scholarship. Savindhi has completed research projects through her education that include 1) Regional blocs, organisations and world order 2) World Trade Organisation’s effectiveness in international trade, and completed overseas studies at Monash University in Prato, Italy, the European Commission and NATO in Brussels, Belgium. |
| By profession Savindhi is an Economist for the Victorian Government at the Department of Economic Development, Jobs, Transport and Resources. She has also worked for the Department of Treasury and Finance and Department of Environment, Land, Water and Planning. Savindhi is a founder executive committee member of the Economics Society of Australia Young Professionals and member of the Australia Institute of International Affairs.Savindhi has been an active member in the Sri Lankan community and South Asian Community and is the current first Youth President of the Committee for Sri Lanka. Savindhi is frequently asked to represent young Sri Lankan-Australians at forums such as in boardroom meetings with the Sri Lankan Foreign Minister, Asia Link Diplomacy and the High Commissioner for Sri Lanka in Australia.Savindhi has been awarded the Young Sri Lankan High Achiever and Leadership Award from the former Consul for Sri Lanka in Victoria, Zonta International’s Young Women in Public Affairs Award, Rotary International’s Paul Harris Award for youth leadership and was an Australian Government 2020 Youth Summit participant.Savindhi brings her strength in International trade and Policy development and connects the young professionals to the Council. |
PAST PRESIDENT – VIJAYA KARUNASENA
| Vijaya Karunasena is a Senior Engineer at City of Melbourne. He has worked as a Project Manager in Building Industry and as a Research Scientist at CSIRO.He also has a business background. Currently he is a director of Chamara Enterprises, Victory Enterprises and Taprobane Books and Gifts.Vijaya has been a member of the Aus-Lanka Business Council for six years and served as the vice president in 2016/17.He had been a broadcaster and a producer of SBS Radio Sri Lankan Program for 15 years. Currently he is the producer of Local News Bulletin for Sinhala Program of 3ZZZ Radio. |
SIRI BANDARA
| Siri Bandara is a Barrister & Solicitor in Australia and originally admitted to the legal profession as an Attorney at Law of the Supreme Court of Sri Lanka in 1988.Currently he is the Principal Solicitor of PLS Lawyers a Melbourne based law firm. He is an active member of Lions Club International and was the president of Lions Club of Maharagama in 1999/2000 in Sri Lanka. Siri was elected as cabinet treasure of the Lions Club International District 306C in 2006/2007. |
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