In a significant corporate development blending Sri Lanka’s business and sporting worlds, cricketing icon Aravinda de Silva has been appointed to the Board of Harischandra Mills PLC following the acquisition of a controlling stake in the company by Ambeon Capital PLC through its subsidiary, Ambeon Essentials (Private) Limited.

The appointment, effective from 12 May 2026, marks a new chapter for one of Sri Lanka’s most recognised and longstanding food manufacturing brands, as Ambeon moves to strengthen leadership and strategic direction within the company.

Alongside Aravinda de Silva, four additional directors representing the Ambeon Group have also been appointed to the Board of Harischandra Mills PLC. They include Sujeewa Mudalige as an Independent Non-Executive Director, Dr. Sajeeva Narangoda as an Executive Director, and Savanth Sebastian as an Independent Non-Executive Director.

Aravinda de Silva, widely celebrated as one of Sri Lanka’s greatest cricketers and a national sporting hero, joins the Board as a Non-Independent, Non-Executive Director representing Ambeon Essentials (Private) Limited.

The appointments were officially disclosed to the Colombo Stock Exchange through a notification issued by the company’s secretaries, Corporate Services (Private) Limited.

Industry observers say the latest board restructuring signals Ambeon’s intent to drive a new phase of growth and transformation for Harischandra Mills, a household name synonymous with Sri Lankan food products for generations.

The inclusion of Aravinda de Silva is also expected to attract significant public attention, bringing a unique blend of leadership, national recognition and strategic influence to the company’s evolving corporate journey.

The development comes amid growing investor interest in Sri Lanka’s consumer and food manufacturing sectors, particularly brands with strong local heritage and long standing consumer trust.

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Thayalan Bartlett, Executive Chairman of MullenLowe Group Sri Lanka, has been recognised in Campaign Asia-Pacific’s inaugural 50 Over Fifty 2026 list, becoming the only Sri Lankan named among a select group of senior marketing, media and communications professionals from across the region.

Campaign Asia-Pacific’s 50 Over Fifty highlights experienced industry figures whose continued impact, entrepreneurial drive, mentorship and governance are shaping the next era of the communications industry.

The 2026 list features 37 individuals across 11 Asia-Pacific markets, with Thayalan’s inclusion placing him alongside some of the region’s most respected figures, including Lulu Raghavan, President, APAC, Landor; Gabor Koska, Executive Vice President, Head of Data x Intelligence APAC, Edelman; Geoff Clarke, Managing Director – Business Transformation, Omnicom Media Australia; Nick Seckold, Regional Vice President, Microsoft Advertising; and Amanda Palenski, Managing Director, PHD Media.

Over more than three decades, Thayalan has played a defining role in Sri Lanka’s marketing communications industry, with leadership across creative, media, strategy, digital and integrated business transformation. As Executive Chairman of MullenLowe Group Sri Lanka, he has helped evolve the agency into a multi-vertical communications group built around creativity, commercial discipline, data, technology and human insight.

His leadership has also been significant through periods of national and industry volatility, including the pandemic, Sri Lanka’s sovereign debt crisis and wider economic disruption. Campaign Asia-Pacific’s profile highlights his role in keeping MullenLowe Sri Lanka growing through turbulence, while building institutions, teams and capabilities designed for long-term strength.

Thayalan has also remained committed to mentoring emerging leadership and building cultures grounded in accountability, ambition and entrepreneurial thinking. His recognition comes at a time when artificial intelligence, shifting consumer behaviour and platform disruption are redefining the communications landscape, reinforcing the value of experienced leadership with the ability to adapt, guide and build for the future.

Created to challenge the industry’s long-standing fixation on youth, the Campaign Asia-Pacific 50 Over Fifty initiative celebrates leaders who continue to shape the future of marketing, communications and creativity beyond the age of fifty, recognising individuals whose experience, resilience and continued innovation are redefining leadership in a rapidly evolving industry.

For the full list, visit campaign50over50.com/#winners

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