Mercantile Investments and Finance PLC (MI) welcomes Laksanda Gunawardena as its Chief Operating Officer. 
With a career spanning over 29 years in the finance sector, Gunawardena brings a wealth of experience in credit, marketing and operations. His extensive background includes roles in the leasing industry in companies such as Lanka ORIX Leasing Company (LOLC), Mercantile Leasing and People’s Leasing & Finance PLC (PLC).
Before joining Mercantile Investments, Gunawardena served as Senior Deputy General Manager at People’s Leasing & Finance PLC, overseeing the credit and marketing unit and purview units relating to gold loan, Islamic finance, fixed deposits/savings and margin trading. Also his previous positions include Deputy General Manager roles in marketing, operations and branch operations. 

He has also served as General Manager at People’s Micro-Commerce (PML). He has served as Director PML and nominee Director to Lankan Alliance Finance Limited, a Bangladeshi subsidiary of People’s Leasing & Finance PLC. 

Gunawardena holds an MA Business Administration degree from the University of Wales UK, an MSC Strategic Marketing degree from Asia e University Malaysia and an MA Business Administration degree from American City University. Wesley College served as his alma mater for his primary and secondary education.

He is a member of the Sri Lanka Institute of Marketing (SLIM), Sri Lanka Institute of Credit Management (SLICM), Sri Lanka Institute of Directors and Institute of Chartered Professional Managers (CPM) Sri Lanka. 

Additionally, he is a Certified Professional Marketer (ASIA) of the Asia Marketing Federation (AMF) and a Certified Management Accountant of the Institute of Certified Management Accountants (CMA Australia). 
Gunawardena has also completed a Diploma in Credit Management from the Sri Lanka Institute of Credit Management (SLICM).

Having undergone valuable training programmes, including sessions at the Frankfurt Business School in Germany (2017), Corporate Management Training- Japan (2014), Senior Management Scholarship Programme- JASTECA 2011 and Management Training Programme-NUS Singapore (2007), Gunawardena brings a diverse skill set to his new role. His leadership and expertise will contribute to Mercantile Investments’ ongoing business growth and transformation.