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by Elmo Leonard

Anil Suneetha Amarasuriya, managing director and CEO of Sampath Bank won the Business Leader of the Year Gold award (large category) at the third annual CIMA Janashakthi awards, presentation conducted on Tuesday.

Amarasuriya 52, named Sampath's chief, Edgar Gunatunge as the man who taught him banking. "At Sampath, customer service is a way of life," he said.

The Business Leader of the Year (medium scale category) was won by Raja Gnanasiri Hewabowela chairman and managing director of the Nippolac group of companies.

Hewabowela 56, said his company had to conduct much research to raise its products to its present quality standards.

The small scale category was won by Lal Keerthi Amarasiri Gunewardhane, managing director of Lucky Lanka Dairies (Pvt) Ltd.

Gunewardhane 37, started small with one "home cow" to become a recognised distributor, he said. These three categories were limited to gold awards. The awards are presented to recognise leaders who have made a significant contribution to their organisation and the business community. The judges said they required proof of competency in areas of outstanding leadership, corporate social responsibility and outstanding personal achievements.

The Young CIMA Star of the Year (2005) went to Hasitha Premaratne 27, head of research, HNB Stockbrokers.

Premaratne said that HNB afforded him the chance of being innovative. Every task he undertook, conformed to business ethics, he said.

The Silver and bronze awards were not given this year in this category which is for those under 30. The CIMA business manager was limited to gold, this year, with two awards made. The joint winners were, Sriyan de Silva Wijeyaratne and Rajiv Casie Chetty.

De Silva Wijeyaratne 39, is the country manager of Microsoft Ltd. Casie Chetty 37, executive director of Lanka Ceramics Ltd and managing director of Ceytea Plantations Management Ltd, Horana Plantations Ltd and Uni Dil Packaging Ltd. Thilini Gomes won the award for the chief financial manager of the year.

Gomes 45, is director finance of Confifi Management Services. CIMA president, Lalith Fonseka said that CIMA did not wish its students to limit themselves to the discipline of accounting, and that was one reason why CIMA promotes and holds such awards presentations. Guest of honour, W. T. Ellawala, is chairman, Janashakthi Insurance Co Ltd.

He said that the awards, in review, had become a benchmark for business and professional excellence, which aims to recognise corporate leadership in Sri Lanka.

Janashakthi was the fastest growing insurance company in Sri Lanka, he said. He said that his company would continue to play an active role in recognising and rewarding professionalism in the Sri Lanka business sector.

Chief guest on the occasion, Alessandro Pio, country director, Sri Lankan resident mission of the Asian Development Bank said that Sri Lanka's peace process should be put into motion for the nation's economy to advance.

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