Businessman For The Year
MOHAN PANDITHAGE
During his term at the helm, Hayleys has been ranked as the leading listed company in Sri Lanka for seven years – including the last two years
He has quietly but resolutely steered one of Sri Lanka’s most storied conglomerates into a transformative era of corporate leadership. His affiliation with Hayleys dates back to 1969, when he joined the company as a management trainee.
Three decades later, Mohan Pandithage ascended to the board in 1998; and by 2009, he took the reins as the group’s CEO – a testament to continuity, institutional knowledge and a commitment to growth.
And during his term at the helm, Hayleys has been ranked as the leading listed company in Sri Lanka for seven years – including the last two years.
Under his leadership, Hayleys has evolved into a 16 sector behemoth operating in more than 80 international markets. The group’s reach spans agriculture, transportation, renewable energy, leisure and industrial manufacturing – and it goes without saying that Hayleys’ contribution Sri Lanka’s economic development stands out as a beacon of hope.
His tenure has spanned some of the most turbulent periods in Sri Lanka’s post-independence economic history. Yet under his stewardship, Hayleys has demonstrated resilience, adaptability and steady growth.
Pandithage’s ability to guide the organisation through political upheavals, global disruptions and economic crises has cemented his reputation as a leader defined by foresight and discipline.
Moreover, Pandithage is known for his ‘people first’ philosophy: throughout his career, he has emphasised the importance of empowering teams and cultivating a culture in which innovation thrives.
He attributes much of his leadership ethos to early mentors and formative years spent at Hayleys Advantis, where persistence and customer trust became the cornerstones of Pandithage’s management style.
A fellow of the Chartered Institute of Logistics and Transport (CILT), he’s also a member of the Advisory Council of the Ceylon Association of Shipping Agents (CASA) and the Council of the Employers’ Federation of Ceylon (EFC).
His expertise in logistics and transport spans decades, having led Hayleys’ transportation sector before becoming chairman of the group.
Mohan Pandithage made history as the first Sri Lankan to be honoured with the Pinnacle Lifetime Award by CILT.
He has also been widely recognised for his contribution to the sector, receiving accolades such as the Best Shipping Personality Award from the Institute of Chartered Shipbrokers (ICS), a Lifetime Achievement Award from Seatrade-Sri Lanka Ports, and induction as a Legend of Logistics by the Sri Lanka Logistics and Freight Forwarding Association (SLFFA).
In 2023, he was inducted into the Sri Lanka Aviation Hall of Fame in recognition of his unique and lasting contribution to both the aviation and shipping sectors. Extending his impact beyond corporate leadership, he also serves as the Honorary Consul of the United Mexican States (Mexico) to Sri Lanka.
As LMD’s Businessman For The Year, Pandithage represents the kind of purposeful, future focussed leadership that has helped shape one of Sri Lanka’s most internationally competitive conglomerates.
