DeshamanyaKandiah (Ken) Balendra (born 1940)[1] is a Sri Lankan corporate leader and executive, who holds and has held many corporate positions in Sri Lanka and the region. He served as the first Sri Lankan chairman of John Keells Holdings Ltd., the largest conglomerate in the island.[2] Currently he is the chairman of Brandix Lanka Ltd. and the South Asia Regional Fund of the Commonwealth Development Corporation.[2][3]
Born into a well-to-do, Tamil family in Colombo, his father was a revenue inspector.[citation needed] He was educated at the Royal College, Colombo, where he excelled in sports. He participated in the Royalist team at the 1958 Bradby Shield Encounter, where Trinity was defeated to end their streak of six consecutive victories.[4]
Family
He married Swyrie, a doctor, in 1969.[5] They have a son named Krishan, who has served as the chairman of the Colombo Stock Exchange since mid-2011.[6] Krishan was educated at INSEAD in France and the University of London.
Career
Balendra began his career in 1963 as a planter at Finlays, an independent tea and horticultural product trader. He joined John Keells Holdings in 1969 (then known as John Keell Thompson White Ltd) and following a successful stint as a tea broker he was appointed as a company director in 1974. From 1990 until his retirement from the company in 2000 he served as its chairman, the first Sri Lankan to hold the position, overseeing a period of rapid growth and diversification.[5] He has served as chairman of the Bank of Ceylon (2000–2002),[1] the Ceylon Tobacco Company (2003–2008),[7] the Securities and Exchange Commission (2000–2002),[8] the Insurance Board of Sri Lanka, and the Ceylon Chamber of Commerce.[2][3]
In April 2000 Balendra was appointed as the first president of the Sri Lanka Institute of Directors.[9] He was a director at Chevron Lubricants Lanka until his resignation in 2011, having served over 10 years.[10]
In 2011 The Sunday Leader named Balendra as one of "The 20 Billionaires of Sri Lanka’s Stock Market". He was featured in 11th place, with holdings said to be worth nearly 2.5 billion Rupees.[11]
Named Sri Lankan of the Year (1998) & voted the Most Effective Business Leader in Sri Lanka (2003) since independence in a poll conducted by the Lanka Monthly Digest magazine.[14][15]
References
^ abGunawardena, Charles A., Encyclopedia of Sri Lanka, 2006 Edition, New Dawn Press Group
^ abcdDesamanya Ken Balendra Executive Profile, Bloomberg Businessweek[dead link]
^Shauketaly, Faraz, "The 20 Billionaires of Sri Lanka's Stock Market", The Sunday Leader, 23 January 2011 12 January 2012 at the Wayback Machine
^Sri Lanka Poland Bilateral Relations 5 December 2014 at the Wayback Machine, Embassy of Sri Lanka, Poland
^"Poland honours Ken Balendra", Sunday Island Online, 2 September 2007
^Sri Lankans of the Year, Lanka Monthly Digest 7 January 2013 at the Wayback Machine
^"Prime Minister, Ken Balendra head LMD opinion poll" 20 March 2005 at the Wayback Machine, Daily News, 9 October 2003
External links
Ken Balendra's Profile at PIPL
January 06, 2023
kandiah, balendra, deshamanya, kandiah, balendra, born, 1940, lankan, corporate, leader, executive, holds, held, many, corporate, positions, lanka, region, served, first, lankan, chairman, john, keells, holdings, largest, conglomerate, island, currently, chair. Deshamanya Kandiah Ken Balendra born 1940 1 is a Sri Lankan corporate leader and executive who holds and has held many corporate positions in Sri Lanka and the region He served as the first Sri Lankan chairman of John Keells Holdings Ltd the largest conglomerate in the island 2 Currently he is the chairman of Brandix Lanka Ltd and the South Asia Regional Fund of the Commonwealth Development Corporation 2 3 Kandiah BalendraBorn1940 age 82 83 Colombo Sri LankaNationalitySri LankanOccupation s Chairman South Asia Regional FundSpouseDr Swyrie BalendraChildrenNatasha Balendra and Krishan Balendra Contents 1 Biography 1 1 Early life and education 1 2 Family 1 3 Career 2 Honors and recognition 3 References 4 External linksBiography EditEarly life and education Edit Born into a well to do Tamil family in Colombo his father was a revenue inspector citation needed He was educated at the Royal College Colombo where he excelled in sports He participated in the Royalist team at the 1958 Bradby Shield Encounter where Trinity was defeated to end their streak of six consecutive victories 4 Family Edit He married Swyrie a doctor in 1969 5 They have a son named Krishan who has served as the chairman of the Colombo Stock Exchange since mid 2011 6 Krishan was educated at INSEAD in France and the University of London Career Edit Balendra began his career in 1963 as a planter at Finlays an independent tea and horticultural product trader He joined John Keells Holdings in 1969 then known as John Keell Thompson White Ltd and following a successful stint as a tea broker he was appointed as a company director in 1974 From 1990 until his retirement from the company in 2000 he served as its chairman the first Sri Lankan to hold the position overseeing a period of rapid growth and diversification 5 He has served as chairman of the Bank of Ceylon 2000 2002 1 the Ceylon Tobacco Company 2003 2008 7 the Securities and Exchange Commission 2000 2002 8 the Insurance Board of Sri Lanka and the Ceylon Chamber of Commerce 2 3 In April 2000 Balendra was appointed as the first president of the Sri Lanka Institute of Directors 9 He was a director at Chevron Lubricants Lanka until his resignation in 2011 having served over 10 years 10 In 2011 The Sunday Leader named Balendra as one of The 20 Billionaires of Sri Lanka s Stock Market He was featured in 11th place with holdings said to be worth nearly 2 5 billion Rupees 11 Honors and recognition EditAwarded the Sri Lankan national honour Deshamanya by President Chandrika Kumaratunga 1998 2 3 Appointed Honorary Consul General of the Republic of Poland in Sri Lanka 12 Awarded The Cavaliers Cross of the Order of Merit of Poland 2007 13 Named Sri Lankan of the Year 1998 amp voted the Most Effective Business Leader in Sri Lanka 2003 since independence in a poll conducted by the Lanka Monthly Digest magazine 14 15 References Edit a b Gunawardena Charles A Encyclopedia of Sri Lanka 2006 Edition New Dawn Press Group a b c d Desamanya Ken Balendra Executive Profile Bloomberg Businessweek dead link a b c Brandix board of directors Down Bradby Lane to 1958 The Island Online 11 June 2008 a b Samath Feizal It is now time to move on The Sunday Times 9 July 2000 Krishan Balendra New CSE Chairman Children Kimaya Meha Archived 19 June 2011 at the Wayback Machine Daily News 15 June 2011 The Island Business The Island Online 27 March 2008 Past Commission Members Securities and Exchange Commission of Sri Lanka Archived 4 March 2016 at the Wayback Machine Annual Report 2011 Sri Lanka Institute of Directors Annual Report 2010 Chevron Lubricants Lanka PLC dead link Shauketaly Faraz The 20 Billionaires of Sri Lanka s Stock Market The Sunday Leader 23 January 2011 Archived 12 January 2012 at the Wayback Machine Sri Lanka Poland Bilateral Relations Archived 5 December 2014 at the Wayback Machine Embassy of Sri Lanka Poland Poland honours Ken Balendra Sunday Island Online 2 September 2007 Sri Lankans of the Year Lanka Monthly Digest Archived 7 January 2013 at the Wayback Machine Prime Minister Ken Balendra head LMD opinion poll Archived 20 March 2005 at the Wayback Machine Daily News 9 October 2003External links EditKen Balendra s Profile at PIPL Retrieved from https en wikipedia org w index php title Kandiah Balendra amp oldid 1114557048, wikipedia, wiki, book, books, library,
