Harsha Abeywickrama takes over as new CEO of Sadaharitha Plantations

Harsha Abeywickrama

Harsha Abeywickrama has recently taken over as the new Chief Executive Officer (CEO) of Sadaharitha Plantations Ltd, the flagship company of the Sadaharitha group, the leader in the Sri Lankan commercial forestry sector.

With over 30 years of professional experience in various fields, Abeywickrama worked as General Manager of Janashakthi Insurance Company before taking over as CEO of Sadaharitha Plantations. Abeywickrama holds an MBA degree, which was awarded by the Rajarata University and is also a member of the Life Underwriter Training Council (LUTC - USA). He is also a Chartered Financial Advisor (CMFA) of LIMRA (USA) and a Chartered Member of Insurance Agency Management (CIAM - USA). Abeywickrama, who also holds a Diploma in Marketing from the National University of Singapore, is an alumnus of Richmond College, Galle.

Abeywickrama, who started his professional career in 1989 at Nestlé Lanka, has been awarded the ELITE CLUB membership in 1990 while working at MERCK SHARPE, DOME Pharmaceuticals. He started his career at Ceylinco Life Insurance Company from 1993 as its Deputy General Manager and has been able to reflect his professional competence in many areas of strategic initiatives, performance, strategic management, sales and distribution management and development.

Abeywickrama, who is a well-known trainer, has given his services as a Moderator at MII-LUTC AND LIMRA USA. He has also provided training to many private and public institutions such as Seylan Bank, Ceylinco, the Wayamba University and Ceylinco Stella. He represented Sri Lanka in 2001 and participated in Falia Conference held in Japan and in 2008 represented East Asia Insurance Congress EAIC& on behalf of Sri Lanka. He gained worldwide experience by attending many international conferences, including the 2015 Leadership Conference in the Philippines and MDRT Experience Conference in Macau. Having received training in development at GREAT EASTERN INSURANCE in Malaysia and experience in AIA’s Hong Kong, China, Malaysia, Thailand agency management development programme, Abeywickrama served as Deputy General Manager - Sales Head and National Head of Recruitment at AIA Insurance Lanka since 2013. Abeywickrama, who has also been appointed as a member of the Faculty of Business Studies and Finance at the Wayamba University, has also served on its Advisory Board on Curriculum Development. He was also a guest lecturer in the Faculty of Business Studies and Finance.