Deshamanya Harry Jayawardena, a pioneering entrepreneur and a key figure in Sri Lanka’s corporate sector, has passed away at the age of 82. With a career spanning nearly four decades, Jayawardena was regarded as one of Sri Lanka’s most influential businessmen, making a significant contribution to the country’s economic growth.
Born Don Harold Stassen Jayawardena on August 17, 1942, he later gained prominence under the name Harry Jayawardena. The internationally renowned business magazine Forbes had previously listed him among the wealthiest individuals in Sri Lanka.
Jayawardena began his career as a tea trader at a British tea export company in Colombo. He later joined the Ceylon State Trading Corporation (Consolidated Exports), which was later rebranded as Consolexpo Ltd.
During the 1970s, under the government of then-Prime Minister Sirimavo Bandaranaike, he was appointed as the head of the Tea Department, which held a monopoly over Sri Lanka’s tea exports. After resigning from this position, he founded Stassen Exports on September 7, 1977, marking a new chapter in Sri Lanka’s tea export industry.
By 1988, his business conglomerate became a major shareholder in Hatton National Bank (HNB), one of Sri Lanka’s leading private banks. In 1992, he expanded his business empire further by acquiring a controlling stake in Distilleries Company of Sri Lanka (DCSL) in what was then the largest transaction in the Colombo Stock Exchange.
By 2007, under his leadership, DCSL was ranked Sri Lanka’s No.1 company by Business Today.
A Vast Business Empire
Harry Jayawardena held major stakes and chairmanships in several leading companies, including:
- Distilleries Company of Sri Lanka (DCSL)
- Lanka Milk Foods
- Madulsima Plantations
- Balangoda Plantations
- Aitken Spence & Aitken Spence Hotel Holdings
- Melstacorp PLC
Additionally, he was the owner of multiple subsidiaries, such as Browns Beach Hotels PLC, Lanka Power Projects, Milford Holdings, and Lanka Bell.
Jayawardena also owned Melsta Hospital in Ragama and previously held ownership of Sinha Hospitals, with recent reports indicating discussions to acquire Nawaloka Hospital.
His business empire played a crucial role in Sri Lanka’s economic development, generating thousands of employment opportunities across various industries. Starting from tea exports, he diversified into multiple sectors, cementing his status as one of Sri Lanka’s top entrepreneurs.
In addition to his business ventures, Harry Jayawardena also served as the Honorary Consul General for Denmark in Sri Lanka, further solidifying his global influence.
Details regarding his funeral arrangements will be announced in due course.