Board of Directors

The Founder Chairman of the Access Group of Companies founded in 1989, he is also the Founder Chairman and a shareholder of AEL. He continues to be the Chairman of all companies under the umbrella of the Access Group, AEL Group and Sathosa Motors PLC. He is a Fellow Member of the Chartered Institute of Management Accountants – UK. It is under his vision and leadership that the Access Group of Companies has grown to be a diversified and successful business enterprise, in a span of over three decades.

One of the founder Directors of the Access Group of Companies, he was instrumental in heading some of the most successful business units within the Group. A founder shareholder of AEL, he was the Joint Managing Director/ CEO/Managing Director of the Company since its inception until 24th August 2021. It was under his leadership that AEL achieved significant milestones in growth. He is also a Director of Access Realties (Private) Limited, Access Realties 2 (Private) Limited, Harbor Village (Private) Limited, Lanka AAC (Private) Limited, WUS Logistics (Private) Limited, Access Logistics (Private) Limited, Access Logistics Park Ekala (Private) Limited, ZPMC Lanka Company (Private) Limited , ARL Elevate (Private) Limited , Access International (Private) Limited, Access Energy (Private) Limited, Access Natural Water (Private) Limited and Eco Friendly Power Developers (Private) Limited. He was also appointed as Managing Director of Sathosa Motors PLC with effect from 1 April 2019. . He was appointed as Executive Vice Chairman on 24th August 2021.

Joining the AEL Group in 1998 as an Engineer based in the Engineering Division, he played a vital role in enabling the division to become a separate business entity, encompassing the name and persons of AEL. Having held Senior Management positions in AEL, he was appointed to the Board in 2002. In 2007, he was appointed as the Director/COO of AEL. He is a Corporate Member of Institution of Engineers Sri Lanka (IESL) and has a BSc Degree in Civil Engineering from the University of Peradeniya. He is also a Director of Access International (Private) Limited, Eco Friendly Power Developers (Private) Limited, Access Realties (Private) Limited, Access Realties 2 (Private) Limited, Harbor Village (Private) Limited, Access Projects (Private) Limited, Sathosa Motors PLC, WUS Logistics (Private) Limited, Access Logistics (Private) Limited, Access Logistics Park Ekala (Private) Limited, ARL Elevate (Private) Limited and Lanka AAC (Private) Limited. He was appointed the Managing Director of the Company on 24th August 2021.

Having held many Executive and Management positions within the AEL Group, he has functioned within the Engineering Division since its inception. With the genesis of AEL, he became a part of that unit and was appointed as Director – Business Development in 2002. He is also a Director of Access International (Private) Limited, Access Realties (Private) Limited, Blue Star Realties (Private) Limited, Access Realties 2 (Private) Limited, AEL East Africa Limited, Eco Friendly Power Developers (Private) Limited and ARL Elevate (Private) Limited.

He joined Access International (Private) Limited in 1996 and held Executive and Senior Managerial positions throughout his successful career. He joined AEL in 2006 and was appointed to the Board of AEL as Director – Business Development. He is also a Director of Access International (Private) Limited, Sathosa Motors PLC, Access Motors (Private) Limited, Access Realties (Private) Limited, Access Realties 2 (Private) Limited, ZPMC Lanka Company (Private) Limited and ARL Elevate (Private) Limited.

Dilhan Perera is serving in the capacity of Non-Executive Director of AEL since December 2013. He is serving as the Chief Financial Officer in affiliated companies which are not coming under the Group of Companies of Access Engineering PLC.

Shamal Perera joined Access International (Private) Limited in 2009 as Director – Healthcare and played a pivotal role in the rapid growth of the business leading to Access Healthcare becoming a well reputed and respected supplier in the industry. Following this success, he was appointed to the Director Board of Access International (Private) Limited in 2014. In 2015, Access International (Private) Limited expanded its healthcare services by acquiring the Ninewells Hospital, and Shamal was appointed to its Board, tasked with the responsibility of restructuring the Company. Today, Ninewells is the leading private women’s and children’s hospital in the country. Shamal also serves as a Director in many of the Access Group of Companies. He holds an MBA from the University of Buckingham and a CIMA Advanced Diploma in Management Accounting. Shamal is also a major shareholder of Access Engineering PLC.

Mr. Vajira Kulatilaka is an accomplished finance professional with extensive experience in investment banking and capital markets. As the former CEO of NDB Investment Bank (NDBIB) from 2001, he played a pivotal role in establishing the firm as Sri Lanka’s leading investment bank, earning multiple accolades, including Euromoney’s "Best Investment Bank in Sri Lanka" for nine consecutive years. Under his leadership, NDBIB executed landmark transactions, including Sri Lanka’s largest IPO and major IPOs in the Maldives. He was instrumental in creating Sri Lanka’s first full-service investment banking conglomerate, overseeing NDB Wealth Management, NDB Securities, and the country’s largest private equity fund. Additionally, he expanded NDB’s investment banking operations into Bangladesh through NDB Capital. Mr. Kulatilaka served as Chairman of the Colombo Stock Exchange and the South Asian Federation of Exchanges and has held key directorships in listed and state enterprises. He currently serves as an Independent Non-Executive Director at Sampath Bank PLC, Printcare PLC, Hemas Hospitals (Pvt) Ltd, and LTL Holdings Ltd. He holds a First-Class Honours BSc in Civil Engineering from the University of Moratuwa, an MSc in Industrial Engineering and Management from the Asian Institute of Technology, Thailand, and is a Chartered Financial Analyst (CFA) and Fellow of CIMA (UK). Recognized for his contributions to the industry, he received the Distinguished Alumni Award from AITAA in 2011.

Mr. Ranil Pathirana is a finance and management professional with extensive experience spanning the financial, apparel, and energy sectors. He currently serves as a Group Director of the Hirdaramani Group of Companies and its holding entities, including Hirdaramani Apparel Holdings (Private) Limited, Hirdaramani Investment Holdings (Private) Limited, and Hirdaramani Leisure Holdings (Private) Limited. In addition, he holds the position of Managing Director at Hirdaramani International Exports (Private) Limited and serves as the Managing Director of the Apparel Sector Executive Committee. Mr. Pathirana also contributes his expertise as a Non-Executive Director on the boards of several listed entities, including WindForce PLC, Hemas Holdings PLC, BPPL Holdings PLC, Dankotuwa Porcelain PLC, and Ceylon Hotels Corporation PLC. He is a Fellow Member of the Chartered Institute of Management Accountants (FCMA - UK) and holds a Bachelor of Commerce degree from the University of Sri Jayewardenepura. Through his leadership roles and financial acumen, Mr. Pathirana continues to play a pivotal role in the strategic growth and governance of multiple organizations across diverse industries.

Mr. Mano Rajakariar is a highly experienced finance professional with a career spanning over 30 years. Until June 2024, he served as the Chief Financial Officer at South Asia Gateway Terminals (SAGT), where he was a key member of the executive committee and senior management team. Prior to this, he held senior leadership roles at John Keells Holdings PLC (JKH), including Executive Vice President and Group Financial Controller. His tenure at JKH, which began in 1996, saw him serve as the Sector Financial Controller for the Tea Broking and Plantations Sector, CEO of the Shared Services arm, and later, Group Financial Controller before joining SAGT in 2018. Mr. Rajakariar also gained valuable experience in audit assurance, risk, and compliance through his work with Coopers and Lybrand (PWC) in Sri Lanka and Malawi. He is a Fellow Member of The Institute of Chartered Accountants of Sri Lanka, the Chartered Institute of Management Accountants (UK), and the Institute of Certified Management Accountants of Sri Lanka, underscoring his strong expertise in finance and governance.
In addition to his corporate career, he is actively involved in professional and community initiatives, serving on the Ethics Committee of CA Sri Lanka and in the EXCO of Sri Lanka Cancer Society. He also contributes his expertise as an Independent Non-Executive Director at Alumex PLC, Asset Line Finance Limited, Digital Mobility Solutions Lanka PLC (Pick-Me), Elpitiya Plantations PLC, and Hayleys Fiber PLC.