Dhananath Fernando appointed as Advocata Institute CEO

The Advocata Institute, a public policy think tank based in Colombo, has appointed Dhananath Fernando as its Chief Executive Officer. 
Fernando, who is a founding member of the institute, has worked as Advocata’s Chief Operating Officer since its inception. 

The Advocata Institute was started in 2016 by a group of professionals aiming to provide market-oriented policy alternatives to existing public discourse in Sri Lanka. The founding group was advised by leading academics and business leaders. 

“Dhananath has been instrumental to the growth of Advocata as a significant voice in the policy debate in Sri Lanka,” said Murtaza Jafferjee, who serves as Chairman of the board of directors at the Advocata Institute. 
“The board has no doubt that he will lead Advocata into even greater heights.”

As Advocata COO, Fernando has managed to play a pivotal role in the organisation with key responsibilities in fundraising and communication. He is a frequent writer and commentator on economic policy in national media. Prior to joining Advocata, Fernando worked in market research and administration. 

He is a graduate from the University of Colombo and studied at St. Sebastian’s College in his hometown of Moratuwa. Fernando volunteers his time for CandleAid, a charity based in Sri Lanka and a number of other initiatives, including the AK Lit Fest, a trilingual literary festival and Lakmahal, a community library. 
In 2022, Fernando was chosen from Sri Lanka for the prestigious Eisenhower fellowship. He is also recognised as an ‘Asia 21 Young Leader’ for 2022 by the Asia Society for his impact with the Advocata Institute.   

“I thank the Advocata board of directors for trusting me and supporting me,” said Fernando.
“I feel we have all contributed to a greater cause bigger than ourselves to make Sri Lanka prosperous and competitive where hard work and free exchange is valued. A big thank you to our founding members and our board of advisors and our team for their continued dedication and support. It’s always a team effort.”