The Institute of Chartered Accountants of Sri Lanka (CA Sri Lanka) proudly celebrated outstanding leadership and professional excellence at the 2025 CA Sri Lanka Excellence Awards, recognising individuals who have made remarkable contributions to business, finance, and entrepreneurship both locally and globally.
This year’s awards spotlight four exceptional Chartered Accountants whose achievements exemplify vision, resilience, and transformative leadership. The honours went to four outstanding leaders who have redefined excellence in their respective fields: Mr Channa Gunawardana, Executive Director of Dankotuwa Porcelain PLC, who was honoured with CA Sri Lanka’s Business Leader of the Year 2025; Mr Manjula Rathnayaka, Regional Financial Controller at Apical Group (Indonesia), who was recognised as the Outstanding Global Achiever of the Year 2025; Ms Niluka Jayasinghe, Founder & Managing Director of Global Bookkeeping Solutions (Pvt) Ltd, who was crowned Best Entrepreneur of the Year 2025; and Mr Sampath Thushara, Chief Financial Officer & Chief Investments Officer of AIA Insurance Lanka Ltd, who received the Best CFO of the Year 2025.
They were honoured at a grand ceremony held at the Monarch Imperial this month. The awards were presented to the winners by CA Sri Lanka President Mr. Heshana Kuruppu, in the presence of Vice President Tishan Subasinghe and Chief Executive Officer Lakmali Priyangika.
Winner of the CA Sri Lanka Business Leader of the Year 2025, Mr Channa Gunawardana, is a Fellow Member of CA Sri Lanka and an accomplished leader with an MBA from the University of Southern Queensland and a first-class degree in accountancy and financial management from the University of Sri Jayewardenepura. Currently pursuing a PhD at the Management and Science University in Malaysia, he embodies a commitment to lifelong learning. Recognised for revitalising Dankotuwa Porcelain PLC, Mr Gunawardana was inducted into the Hall of Fame for Leadership Excellence in 2022 and has received multiple accolades, including Best Manufacturing CEO of the Year and the Global CEO Leadership Excellence Award. His career spans international roles, including Country Manager for Ernst & Young Maldives and CFO in Bangladesh’s apparel sector, underscoring his global impact.
Winner of the Outstanding Global Achiever of the Year 2025, Mr Manjula Rathnayaka’s journey is a testament to perseverance and ambition. Starting his CA journey at 24, he rose to become Regional Financial Controller at Apical Group, leading a team of 120 finance professionals across 10 entities with an annual turnover exceeding USD 10 billion. He has overseen downstream investments worth USD 1.8 billion and driven strategic expansions into biodiesel and oleo-chemicals. Honoured with Apical’s Corporate Special Award for three consecutive years, Mr Rathnayaka is also part of the company’s Future Leadership Programme, reflecting his commitment to ethical governance and people development.
The Best Entrepreneur of the Year 2025, Ms Niluka Jayasinghe, has redefined cross-border financial services through cloud-based solutions, serving over 450 clients in seven countries. Her company has generated over USD 1 million in foreign exchange earnings and created opportunities for more than 500 Sri Lankan professionals, with two-thirds of her workforce being women. Recognised as WCIC’s Most Outstanding Export-Orientated Woman Entrepreneur in 2024, she continues to champion diversity, inclusion, and digital transformation while advocating for Sri Lanka’s BPM sector globally.
Best CFO of the Year 2025, Mr Sampath Thushara, has redefined financial strategy at AIA Insurance, introducing LEAN practices to finance to drive operational excellence and cultural transformation, and spearheading digital innovation by championing AI adoption and 100% API-based integrations, positioning his company among the most technology-enabled insurers in the country. His leadership ensured resilience during economic challenges, maintaining one of the healthiest balance sheets in the sector. Beyond his corporate role, he contributes actively to the profession and industry as Chair of the Finance Sub-Committee of the Insurance Association of Sri Lanka, leading the country’s IFRS 17 implementation.
