Harry Jayawardena, one of Sri Lanka’s most influential business figures, passed away at the age of 83 at a private hospital following a brief illness.
Born on August 17, 1942, in Ja-Ela, Jayawardena was the chairman of Melstacorp PLC and served as the Honorary Consul General for Denmark in Sri Lanka. He was recognized by Forbes as one of the richest individuals in the country.
Jayawardena began his career as a tea trader and later headed the Tea Department at the government-owned State Trading Corporation. In 1977, he founded Stassen Exports Limited, which became a leading Ceylon tea exporter. He later acquired significant stakes in major corporations, including Hatton National Bank in 1988 and the Distilleries Company of Sri Lanka PLC (DCSL) in 1992, turning DCSL into the top-ranked listed company in 2007, according to Business Today.
With major holdings in Lanka Milk Foods, Madulsima Plantations, Balangoda Plantations, and Lanka Bell, Jayawardena wielded considerable influence across multiple industries. Under his leadership, DCSL and Aitken Spence became the first Sri Lankan firms featured on Forbes’ best-managed companies list outside the U.S. In 2007, DCSL was also listed among Asia’s top 200 companies under USD 1 billion.
Beyond his corporate success, Jayawardena served as Senior Advisor for International Trade and Foreign Investments to then-President Chandrika Kumaratunga and was a member of the Task Force to Rebuild the Nation after the 2004 tsunami. He also briefly chaired SriLankan Airlines. In recognition of his contributions, he was awarded the Deshamanya title in 2005 and was knighted by Queen Margrethe II of Denmark in 2010 for his efforts in strengthening Sri Lanka-Denmark relations.
Jayawardena’s death marks the end of an era in Sri Lanka’s corporate world. Tributes are pouring in from business leaders and government officials, acknowledging his lasting impact on the country’s economy.
