Sri Lanka BOI appoints new chief

Jan 24, 2013 (LBO) - Sri Lanka's Board of Investment said Lakshman Jayaweera, a Sydney based chemical engineer and entrepreneur, had been appointed as its chairman and director general. The appointment of a person with an overseas private sector background will help Sri Lanka attract investment at a time when global foreign direct investments have fallen, but where developed economies are expected to partly recover from a recession, the agency said.

Jayaweera had founded HydroMet Corporation Ltd, a resource recovery firm in 1987. The firm had produced high purity Selenium and Tellurium which was used in thin film solar panels.

He had sold out of the firm, which was a listed company in May last year.

Jayaweera has a PhD in chemical engineering from the University of New South Wales (UNSW), Sydney and a Master of Science in chemistry and chemical Engineering (First Class) from the Peoples’ Friendship University, Moscow, USSR, the BOI said.