Melstacorp PLC has announced the appointment of D. Hasitha S. Jayawardena as the Executive Chairperson, following the passing of Deshamanya D. H. S. Jayawardena.

The board of directors approved the appointment through a resolution dated 6 February, with immediate effect.

Jayawardena, previously serving as a non-independent non-executive Director, brings over 12 years of leadership experience in managing diverse sectors within the Melstacorp Group, particularly in plantations and leisure.

In addition to his role at Melstacorp PLC, Jayawardena serves on the boards of Distilleries Company of Sri Lanka PLC, Lanka Milk Foods (CWE) PLC, Balangoda Plantations PLC, and Madulsima Plantations PLC. He currently holds 7,531,332 shares of Melstacorp PLC.

Furthermore, in compliance with Colombo Stock Exchange (CSE) listing rules, the Board has appointed M. R. Mihular, an independent non-executive Director, as the Senior Independent Director.

The board believes these leadership changes are in the best interest of the company and its stakeholders.