New SEC Chair assumes duties

New Chairman Viraj Dayaratne with Director General Vajira Wijegunawardane, directors, assistant directors and divisional heads of the SEC

Viraj Dayaratne, PC assumed duties as Chairman of the Securities and Exchange Commission of Sri Lanka (SEC), yesterday.

Dayaratne had his education at S. Thomas’ Preparatory School, Kollupitiya and S. Thomas’ College, Mount Lavinia. 

He entered Sri Lanka Law College in 1989 and was enrolled as an Attorney-at-Law of the Supreme Court of Sri Lanka, in November 1992. 

He is also a graduate from the University of Colombo with a BA in International Relations. He then obtained his Master of Laws specialising in international trade law from the University of Wales. 

In January 1993, he joined the Attorney General’s Department of Sri Lanka, where he counts experience of over 27 years in criminal as well as civil matters, both in the Original and Appellate Courts of Sri Lanka.

He was appointed as Additional Solicitor General of the Attorney General’s Department of Sri Lanka and was also appointed as a President’s Counsel (PC) in May 2018.

He has served as a legal expert to the Defence Ministry, Sultanate of Oman, from the year 2009 to 2011.

Dayaratne also functions as a visiting Judge of the Court of Appeal of the Republic of Fiji and as an Adjudicator of the Panel of Adjudicators of the Asian International Arbitration Centre (AIAC). 

He also functioned as Judge Advocate to the Air Force of Sri Lanka and as a Lecturer and an Examiner of Sri Lanka Law College. 

Dayaratne has been released by the Public Service Commission Sri Lanka (PSC) from the Attorney General’s Department to assume his duties as Chairman of the SEC. 

Addressing the SEC staff, Dayaratne said he wants to strike a balance between regulation and market development and also to enhance investor confidence.

He also stressed that he has no conflict of interest to give leadership to SEC.