Imran Furkan appointed Chairman; Gimhan Sawinda Rajapaksha Dissanayake joins Board as Independent Non-Executive Director
Maharaja Foods PLC today announced a series of changes to its Board of Directors aimed at strengthening governance and accelerating the Group’s next phase of growth. The Board has appointed Mr. Imran Furkan as Chairman, bringing a more mature and seasoned strategic approach to the Board, and has welcomed Mr. Gimhan Sawinda Rajapaksha Dissanayake as a new Non-Executive, Independent Director.
As part of the transition, Mr. Guganathan Vijayananth, who previously served as Chairman, will now serve as Executive, Non-Independent Director, where he will direct his focus towards retail expansion and new venture development for the Group. Mr. Vithyanath Guganathan continues in his role as Managing Director of the Company, providing continuity in the day-to-day leadership and operations of the business.
Commenting on the changes, the Board noted that the new structure reflects the Company’s commitment to robust corporate governance and long-term value creation, combining Mr. Furkan’s extensive cross-sector board experience with the continued entrepreneurial drive of the Group’s founding leadership.
Board Profiles
Mr. Imran Furkan — Chairman, Maharaja Foods PLC
Imran advises Boards and CEOs on strategy, market expansion, and geopolitical, economic, and technology risk management, and currently serves as CEO of Tresync, Australia. He holds several board directorships across the Asia-Pacific region, including Senior Independent Director of Asiri Health PLC and Asiri Surgical Hospital PLC, and Independent Non-Executive Director of Odel PLC, Softlogic Capital PLC, Softlogic Holdings PLC, and Diamond Life Insurance Company in Bangladesh. He previously served as CEO of SLASSCOM and the Sri Lanka Press Institute, and is a Fellow Member of both CPA Australia and CIMA UK, holding an MBA from Australia and a BA (Hons) from the UK.
Mr. Gimhan Sawinda Rajapaksha Dissanayake — Non-Executive, Independent Director
Mr. Dissanayake is an entrepreneur with experience across tea manufacturing, hospitality, wellness, and lifestyle sectors. He currently serves as a Director of Adams View Tea Factory (Pvt) Ltd, a family-owned tea manufacturer in Sri Lanka’s Sabaragamuwa region, and of ROBA Investments (Pvt) Ltd, focused on hospitality and wellness investments. He holds a BA in Politics, Philosophy and Economics from Durham University, UK, and is a former Sri Lanka National Water Polo player. His career has spanned business strategy, brand development, and product innovation, with a particular interest in promoting Sri Lankan products internationally.
Mr. Guganathan Vijayananth — Executive, Non-Independent Director
Vijayananth is a skillful entrepreneur who has thrived in the logistics and food and beverage industries from a young age, and has been instrumental in developing a solid client base across Maharaja Foods and its subsidiary and associate companies. He led the restructuring of the Company from a family-oriented partnership into a Group with dedicated business units in retail, logistics, and food and beverage. In his new role, he will focus on retail expansion and new venture development. He holds a Degree in Business Management, specialising in Economics and Consulting, from Aston University.
Mr. Vithyanath Guganathan — Managing Director
Mr. Guganathan continues in his role as Managing Director of Maharaja Foods PLC, providing continuity in the leadership of the Company’s day-to-day operations as the Board transitions into its new structure.