Dilith Susantha Jayaweera (born 18 September 1967) is a Sri Lankan Businessman, Entrepreneur,
Media mogul
A media proprietor, media mogul or media tycoon refers to a entrepreneur who controls, through personal ownership or via a dominant position in any media-related company or enterprise, media consumed by many individuals. Those with significant co ...
, and
Lawyer
A lawyer is a person who practices law. The role of a lawyer varies greatly across different legal jurisdictions. A lawyer can be classified as an advocate, attorney, barrister, canon lawyer, civil law notary, counsel, counselor, solic ...
. In 2011, he was named by the ''
LMD'' as one of the ten ‘Business People of the Year’. In 2020, Dilith Jayaweera was among 100 corporate leaders named by the ''LMD'' on its A-list of businesspeople who continue to drive the engine of growth in Sri Lanka. He is the Chairman of George Steuart & Co., Sri Lanka's oldest mercantile establishment and Derana, one of Sri Lanka's largest media networks.
Education
Jayaweera received his primary and secondary education at
St. Aloysius' College, Galle, and later joined the Faculty of Law at the
University of Colombo
(Buddhih Sarvatra Bhrajate)
, mottoeng = ''Wisdom Enlightens''
, established =
, endowment = Sri Lankan rupee, LKR 1.461 1,000,000,000 (number), billion , and subsequently
Sri Lanka Law College
Sri Lanka Law College (abbreviated as SLLC), formerly known as Ceylon Law College, is a law college, and the only legal institution where one can enroll as a attorney-at-law in Sri Lanka. It was established in 1874, under the then Council of Legal ...
, where he qualified as an
Attorney-At-Law
Attorney at law or attorney-at-law, usually abbreviated in everyday speech to attorney, is the preferred term for a practising lawyer in certain jurisdictions, including South Africa (for certain lawyers), Sri Lanka, the Philippines, and the United ...
.
Career
A lawyer by profession, Dilith Jayaweera set up Triad Advertising (Pvt) Limited in 1993, in partnership with Varuni Amunugama, whom he had met at the Faculty of Law,
University of Colombo
(Buddhih Sarvatra Bhrajate)
, mottoeng = ''Wisdom Enlightens''
, established =
, endowment = Sri Lankan rupee, LKR 1.461 1,000,000,000 (number), billion . Triad is the most awarded indigenous advertising agency in Sri Lanka.
Jayaweera's agency is known to have been behind several high-profile campaigns including ‘Api Wenuwen Api’ created on behalf of the
Sri Lanka
Sri Lanka (, ; si, ශ්රී ලංකා, Śrī Laṅkā, translit-std=ISO (); ta, இலங்கை, Ilaṅkai, translit-std=ISO ()), formerly known as Ceylon and officially the Democratic Socialist Republic of Sri Lanka, is an ...
forces to raise the profile of the army, navy and air force during the latter stages of the
Sri Lankan civil war against the LTTE.
The company has been heavily diversified and Jayaweera has set up over 20 subsidiaries. His media investments includes two national television channels
Derana Macro Entertainment (Television), one national radio channel
Derana Macro Entertainment (Radio) and three national newspapers
Liberty Publishers. With the aim of building a modern conglomerate, Jayaweera entered industries such as travel and leisure, pharmaceuticals, property and manufacturing where he has established a strong presence through the
George Steuart Group of companies.
Post-war investments
In the post-war Sri Lankan economy, Jayaweera has risen to prominence as an aggressive investor – his investment arm Divasa Equity is a majority shareholder in public listed companies such as Citrus Leisure PLC and Colombo Land and Development PLC, and in October 2011 took over the 176-year-old
George Steuart Group, Sri Lanka's oldest mercantile establishment and a successful diversified conglomerate.
He sits on the Boards of several companies including Citrus Leisure PLC, Colombo Land PLC, and Triad (Pvt) Ltd, and is Chairman of the George Steuart Group of Companies.
Controversy
The District Judge of Colombo in 2011 issued an enjoining order against Telshan Network of Opposition Leader
Ranil Wickremesinghe
Ranil Wickremesinghe ( si, රනිල් වික්රමසිංහ, ta, ரணில் விக்கிரமசிங்க; born 24 March 1949) is a Sri Lankan politician who is the current president of Sri Lanka since 21 July 2 ...
’s brother
Shan Wickremesinghe
Deshabandu Shanthilal Nilkantha Wickremesinghe, popularly as Shan Wickremesinghe, is a Sri Lankan media mogul, broadcaster, and a Broadcast Engineer. He is the founder of Sri Lanka's first television station, ITN, and the current chairman of ...
and one of his directors preventing them from defaming Dilith Jayaweera on a local radio channel Isira Radio. Order was given consequent to action filed by Dilith Jayaweera against Shan Wickremesinghe and his co-host for defamatory comments made on a radio show. Jayaweera also sent the BBC Sinhala service a letter of demand for defamation for carrying a story on the subject.
Personal life
Dilith Jayaweera is married to Nelum, his contemporary at the University of Colombo. Dilith – along with his three brothers, grew up in Galle, on the southern coast of Sri Lanka. His parents are both educators.
Dilith Jayaweera has been linked to
Dinesh Palipana
Dinesh Palipana (born 1984) is an Australian doctor, lawyer, scientist and disability advocate. He is the first quadriplegic medical intern in Queensland, Australia. He is the second person with quadriplegia to graduate as a doctor in Australi ...
, Queensland's first quadriplegic intern.
Palipana has credited Jayaweera with helping him progress through the accident that left him a quadriplegic.
References
External links
Official Website of TriadOfficial Website of Colombo Land and Development Company PLCOfficial Website of the George Steuart GroupOfficial Website of Citrus Leisure PLC
{{DEFAULTSORT:Jayaweera, Dilith
Sri Lankan businesspeople
Sinhalese businesspeople
Sinhalese lawyers
Living people
People from Galle
1967 births
Alumni of the University of Colombo
Alumni of St. Aloysius' College, Galle
Mass media owners
Mass media company founders
21st-century businesspeople