The Maliban group yesterday announced a significant leadership transition, with A.G. Kumudika Fernando being appointed as its new Chairperson, effective August 15, 2024. 

This appointment follows the recent passing of A.G. Ratnapala Samaraweera, the previously-serving Maliban Group Chairman, also Fernando’s father. 

Samaraweera was the son of the late A.G. Hinni Appuhamy, the legendary founder of Maliban and upheld the long-standing Maliban family tradition of quality, excellence and innovation.

Fernando, who has served as Managing Director for over a decade, is eminently qualified to lead Maliban into the future and continue the legacy of the Maliban family.

Trained under her father’s guidance, she has been instrumental in overseeing the management and operations of the company, driving significant growth through product diversification, expanding exports and entering new markets. Her deep commitment to excellence mirrors the Maliban family tradition and she is poised to carry the torch forward, preserving the Maliban legacy while steering the company towards new horizons. 

As a female leader, Kumudika is dedicated to ensuring that Maliban continues to set the benchmark for quality in Sri Lanka and beyond, while also fostering a more diverse and inclusive workplace.

Fernando is an alumna of Holy Family Convent, Bambalapitiya. She read for her Bachelor’s Degree in Premed Biology at Singapore American School, while at the Notre Dame de Namur University, San Francisco, she read for a Master’s Degree in Psychology. 

“Under my leadership, I aim to carry forward the vision of our founder Chairman and our late Chairman, striving to keep Maliban’s promise of delivering unparalleled quality, excellence and taste to the world. My ambition is to take the Maliban name to the world and establish it as a trusted, iconic global brand,” she said.

Maliban is one of the largest manufacturers and exporters of biscuits, confectionaries and other ready-to-eat food products in Sri Lanka.