Ajit Gunewardene is a Sri Lankan corporate executive and businessman. Current joint managing director and Deputy Chairman of John Keells Holdings

John Keells Holdings

John Keells Holdings PLC is Sri Lanka’s largest listed company in terms of market capitalization. It accounts for more than 14% of the Sri Lankan Stock market and has diversified its operations into various sectors ranging from Consumer Goods,Financial Services,Information...

, Sri Lanka's foremost conglomerate. He has also served as Chairman of Nations Trust Bank

Nations Trust Bank

' is one of the fastest growing banks in Sri Lanka today. Where their portfolio of financial products and services catering to the varying requirements of Individual, Corporate or Institutional Clients supporting its market positioning of "One Bank Many Solutions"...

, Union Assurance & Colombo Stock Exchange

Colombo Stock Exchange

The Colombo Stock Exchange is the main stock exchange in Sri Lanka. It is one of the most modern exchanges in South Asia, providing a fully automated trading platform...

.

Born to Norman Gunewardene

Norman Gunewardene

Norman Gunewardene is a Sri Lankan corporate leader and executive, who holds and has held corporate positions in Sri Lanka and the region. He is the former Chairman of Aitken Spence & Co. Ltd. which is one of the largest conglomerates in the island, Odel Investments Limited and Odel Foundatiom...

 former Chairman of Aitken Spence

Aitken Spence

Aitken Spence PLC is a blue chip conglomerate operating out of Colombo, Sri Lanka.-History:Aitken Spence was formed in 1868 as Clark Spence and Co. It was appointed as an agent for Lloyds of London in 1876. Aitken Spence was established as a limited liability company in 1948...

 and Delysia, he is the older brother of Otara Gunewardene

Otara Gunewardene

Otara Del Gunewardene is a Sri Lankan entrepreneur. She is the founder and CEO of the brand ODEL.Otara ventured into selling garments from the boot of her car. In 1989, having rented a small place on Lester James Peries Mawatha in Colombo 4, she opened ODEL - the first of a chain of retail outlets...

 founder and managing director of ODEL. Educated at the prestigious Royal College Colombo

Royal College Colombo

The Royal College of Colombo was founded in January 1835 in Colombo. It is considered to be the leading Public School in Sri Lanka...

, where he was active sportsmen, notably in rugby union

Rugby union

Rugby union, often simply referred to as rugby, is a full contact team sport which originated in England in the early 19th century. One of the two codes of rugby football, it is based on running with the ball in hand...

. Gunewardene graduated from University of North Carolina

University of North Carolina

Chartered in 1789, the University of North Carolina was one of the first public universities in the United States and the only one to graduate students in the eighteenth century...

 with a degree majoring in economics and with a minor in political science.

Returning to Sri Lanka in 1982, he joined John Keells Holdings

John Keells Holdings

John Keells Holdings PLC is Sri Lanka’s largest listed company in terms of market capitalization. It accounts for more than 14% of the Sri Lankan Stock market and has diversified its operations into various sectors ranging from Consumer Goods,Financial Services,Information...

 as a money broker, going on to form Mackinnon and Keells Financial Services and thereafter he headed John Keells Stockbrokers. In 1992 he was appointed as a Board Director of John Keells Holdings Group.

External links

• PROFILE – AJIT GUNEWARDENE, STAYING POSITIVE
• Profile at John Keells Holdings' website