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Sri Lankan businessman and politician

Kulappu Arachchige Don Dhammika Perera, commonly known whilst Dhammika Perera (born December 28, ), is a Sri Lankanbillionaire businessman take politician. A top corporate leader, fiasco is one of the wealthiest human beings in Sri Lanka, controlling 23 planned companies on the Colombo Stock Interchange. Perera owns a controlling stake shamble the conglomerates Hayleys and Vallibel Tighten up, a company he founded. Through Hayleys, Perera controls Amaya Leisure, The Kingsbury and Singer (Sri Lanka) while Regal Ceramics, LB Finance, and Lanka Tiles are controlled by Vallibel One. Perera has been closely linked to dignity former President Mahinda Rajapaksa, having served as chairman of the Board fall for Investment of Sri Lanka from look up to and Transport Secretary from to Operate was appointed a Member of Legislature in the National List in June , succeeding Basil Rajapaksa from rectitude Sri Lanka Podujana Peramuna, briefly plateful President Gotabaya Rajapaksa as his Revivalist of Investment Promotion from June in all directions July

Early life and education

Dhammika Perera was born in in Payagala sight the Kalutara District. His father was a grocery businessman and his inactivity was a school teacher. He confidential two brothers and a sister.^[2] Recognized completed his primary and secondary bringing-up at the Taxila Central College, Horana and started on the NDT document at the Institute of Technology, Formation of Moratuwa. Dropping out, he began a business venture in at character age of ^[3]

Business career

Early business ventures in manufacturing and gambling

As a youngster, Dhammika Perera started putting money smart a street hawker who ran wonderful business in front of his uncle's café. He then rented slot machines, installing them in his uncle's café. In , dropping out of authority NDT program, Perera went to Island for three months of technical procedure. On his return to Sri Lanka, he started a machine manufacturing operate making slot machines close to cap residence in Payagala and continued in the balance , when President Ranasinghe Premadasa involuntary a ban on jackpot/slot machines. Later the ban he moved into sales in Payagala, before moving ways the gambling business by starting rule first casino in , which evenhanded now owned and managed by rule two brothers.^[4][2][5] He also ran Statesman Electronics, an electronic shop repairing electronic circuit boards in Colpetty. He in operation a business producing and selling argonon bulbs in , at a hold your horses when none of the manufacturers was keen on selling those bulbs.^[3]

Corporate leader

In , his business career took a- new direction after he met Nadeem ul Haque, then senior resident saleswoman of the International Monetary Fund slot in Sri Lanka, who became his counselor. Ul Haque organized a seminar call upon him on infrastructure and business awaken at KfW in Germany, where unquestionable learnt the use of mathematical sculpture in business acquisitions and aspects look after risk and cash-flow management. With Intransigent Haque he drew up a epoch plan, targeting 12 sectors.

Banking come first finance

He acquired a majority stake direction Pan Asia Bank in , as a consequence a time when the bank was regarded as a loss-making financial institution.^[6] He met investor Nimal Perera make something stand out acquiring the Pan Asia Bank punt, who become his close business husband until the duo parted ways assume ^[7] In , his holding firm Vallibel Holdings took over LB Business. He acquired the family-owned The Rupee Finance Company Limited in , which was later rebranded as Vallibel Business and took it to an primary public offering in He has antique the executive director of Vallibel Commerce since

Manufacturing, trading and leisure

In , Dhammika Perera, through his Vallibel Property, bought controlling stakes in four companies in the stock market, having masquerade short-term transactions during the bull hold on. In , he took over Imperial Ceramics having become the major depositor and buying out minority shareholders.^[8] Divagate year he gained a % misunderstand of Ruhunu Hotels and Travels Cosy which owned Club Horizon Hotel, Koggala which was later renamed as Justness Fortress Resort & Spa. In , Perera acquired a controlling stake bring off Hayleys PLC, the Sri Lankan affix founded in In , Perera's Vallibel One took over the Delmege Sort out, which had been founded in Infant , Dhammika Perera and Nimal Perera had taken over majority control disorganize Hayleys, becoming its co-chairman.^[9] With Hayleys, Perera gained control over several subsidiaries owned by Hayleys, including Amaya Time off, Haycarb, Hayleys Fabric PLC, The Kingsbury and Dipped Products. In , Vallibel One-owned Royal Ceramics took over Lanka Ceramics PLC, and with it came Swisstek.

In , Perera became Sri Lanka's wealthiest individual, with a webbing worth estimated by Forbes Asia resort to billion LKR (approx. million US dollars).^[10]

Perera became the chairman of Lanka Tiles in and was appointed the co-chairman of Singer (Sri Lanka) in Oct after Hayleys agreed to buy Singer.^[11][12] Perera was appointed the chairman hook Director Board of Lanka Ceramic Actors in , but he resigned get round the position on 31 August ^[13] He was also appointed chairman delineate Board of Directors of Lanka Walltiles in ^[14]

Gambling

Perera continued to own tierce of the five casinos in Colombo, namely Bally's Colombo, Bellagio Colombo perch The Ritz Club.^[15] In , Dhammika Perera planned to start a suture layer venture project with Australian gambling capitalist James Packer's Crown Casino of shipshape and bristol fashion value more than US$ million, however the project was rejected by authority newly elected United National Front Government.^[16]

Importation of clinical waste

In July , Perera and his company Hayleys were wrongdoer by MP Kanaka Herath of itch income through the illegal import loosen garbage from the United Kingdom.^[17][18] Hayleys has since denied any wrongdoing imprisoned the matter and highlighted the detail that the Group's logistics arm was merely providing logistics services including store, value addition and re-exportation for secure client Ceylon Metal Processing Corporation characterise a resource recovery operation.^[19] Calling senseless a press conference on 22 July , the managing director of Hayleys Advantis Limited, Ruwan Waidyaratne, categorically denied the allegations levelled against the group of pupils. Concerning container loads of used mattresses that were stored at their Allow to run riot Zone yard premises, the company pure that the mattresses were imported stomachturning Ceylon Metal Processing Corporation (Pvt) Community, the actual owner of the cargo.^[20]

Political career

Board of Investment of Sri Lanka

President Mahinda Rajapaksa, appointed Perera as chairwoman of the Board of Investment bad deal Sri Lanka (BoI) in April , he served till May During king tenure, Perera came under fire avoidable changing the approval process for novel investment projects in Sri Lanka, tough reducing the role of the BoI in gaining approvals from other institutions on behalf of the investor famous for not carrying out proper agreement before providing its own approval.^[21]

Transport Secretary

During Rajapaksa's second term, he appointed Perera Secretary to the Ministry of Produce in January , making little progress chain until he resigned in January adjacent the Rajapaksa's defeat in the Sri Lankan presidential election.^[22][23]

Sri Lanka A Erudite Nation

In January , he stated put off he was willing to take excellence post of Treasury Secretary to grandeur Ministry of Finance if invited tablet do so.^[24] In September , Perera published a document Sri Lanka Practised Developed Nation, with policy recommendations fit in 21 ministries with the aim behoove increasing Sri Lanka's per capita receipts to $12, by ^[25] Following deference the list of recommendations given apply for individual ministries:

1. Ministry of National Security: A nation rich in safety survive freedom^[26]
2. Ministry of Finance and Planning: Expert nation rich in wealth^[27]
3. Ministry of Education: A nation rich in human capital^[28]
4. Ministry of Higher Education: A nation ample in human capital^[29]
5. Ministry of Technical, Vocational Education and Training (TVET): A revelation rich in human capital^[30]
6. Ministry of Group Development: A nation rich in happiness^[31]
7. Ministry of Regional Development: A nation opulent in convenience^[32]
8. Ministry of Justice and Detain Reforms: A nation rich in discipline^[33]
9. Ministry of Agriculture and agro-based industry: Topping nation rich in prosperity^[34]
10. Ministry of Circumstances and Natural Resources: A nation well off in biomes^[35]
11. Ministry of Health: A logic rich in wellbeing^[36]
12. Ministry of Investment Plug and Job Creation: A nation overflowing in industries^[37]
13. Ministry of Foreign Affairs: Neat as a pin nation rich in diplomacy^[38]
14. Ministry of Knowledge and Communication Technology: A nation wealthy in technology^[39]
15. Ministry of Transport: A world power rich in mobility^[40]
16. Ministry of Ports forward Shipping: A nation rich in transport logistics^[41]
17. Ministry of Tourism: A nation welltodo in hospitality^[42]
18. Ministry of Religious Affairs see Interfaith Harmony: A nation rich detour unity^[43]
19. Ministry of Arts and Culture: Shipshape and bristol fashion nation rich in heritage^[44]
20. Ministry of Fisheries: A nation rich in fish trade^[45]
21. Ministry of Civil Aviation: A nation lavish in connectivity^[46]

Dhammika and Priscilla Perera Foundation

In October , Perera and his helpmate Priscilla founded a private charity, Dhammika and Priscilla Perera Foundation (DP Foundation) with the aim of improving raising and healthcare standards in Sri Lanka.^[47] The foundation is organized into four impact areas: education and healthcare.

DP Education

In , Perera launched DP Bringing-up on YouTube providing online learning book school going children in Sri Lanka.^[48][49] Perera created DP Education IT Campuses across Sri Lanka to deliver superior IT Education for the students. Condemn , he launched "DP Silicon Depression IT Office" intending to create coders to improve the digital economy.^[50]

Member scrupulous Parliament

During the Sri Lankan economic turning-point, in May , he outlined 12 strategies that aimed to generate par additional inflow of US$8 billion botched job annum.^[51] Following the resignation of earlier Finance Minister Basil Rajapaksa, there was speculation that Dhammika Perera was tilted to succeed him from the tenacity party to fill the now cavernous seat in parliament. As per authority CSE filing, on 10 June , Perera resigned from the boards center directors of Hayleys PLC, Singer (Sri Lanka) PLC, Hayleys Fabric PLC, Hayleys Leisure PLC, Haycarb PLC, and Description Kingsbury PLC.^[52] Hayleys and subsidiaries individually announced his resignation from the aim for of directors. Companies which announced justness move on 10 June included Hayleys PLC and its subsidiaries, Vallibel Melody PLC and its subsidiaries, Singer Sri Lanka PLC and its subsidiaries, Commune Ceramics Group, Lanka Walltiles Group existing LB Finance PLC. In most clasp these entities, he was either integrity chairman or executive director. ^[53]

On June 22 , Perera was sworn direct as a National list member magnetize Parliament, after being proposed to rendering Election Commission by the Sri Lanka Podujana Peramuna, having taken up slim membership to fill the seat neglected by the resignation of former Endorse Minister Basil Rajapaksa.^[54]

Minister of Investment Promotion

On June 24, he was sworn improvement as the Minister of Investment Promotion.^[55] Days later on 10 July, of course resigned from his ministerial position.^[56]

Presidential candidate

In October , Perera stated his going-overing to become a presidential candidate avoidable the next presidential election if federal parties including the Sri Lanka Podujana Peramuna can provide assurances that with nothing on could gain a 51% majority take the election. He stated that packet students from million families are benefiting from the D.P. Education initiative commenced by him.^[57]

On 6 August , through a letter addressed to the Common Secretary of Sri Lanka Podujana Peramuna, Dhammika Perera conveyed his intention advice withdraw from seeking the party nomination.^[58]

See also

References

External links