Chairperson’s Awards for Outstanding Achievement 2022

Our opening act this year, represented the struggles of our people and the resilience of a nation that is ready to move forward. The performers were 8 members of staff from across the Group – Dinuk Gunasekera from JMSL, Prasanna Rupkumar from John Keells Properties, Teshani Weerasekera from JMSL, Hasanika Jayasinghe from JMSL, Heshan Wilamuna from CCS, Thimira Warnaka from Group HR, Kavingi Perera from Informate & Nimasha Wijayarathna from Group Sustainability.

Our comperes for the evening, Anuki Keenawinna and Sachith Fernando 

Welcome address from our Chief People Officer, Isuru Gunasekera

Our Chairperson, Krishan Balendra, addressing the gathering.

 The recipient of this year’s Chairperson’s Award for Outstanding Achievement, for an individual, has been recognized for their ability to not only identify a unique opportunity but to also their tireless efforts to make that opportunity, a reality. Congratulations Tharaka Nanayakara – Country Manager – Inchcape Mackinnon Mackenzie Sri Lanka

Recognizing their immense contributions in the times of crisis and the pivotal part they played in maintaining the health of the overall business, one of the Chairperson’s awards for Outstanding Achievements, for teams, goes to The Core Team responsible for three significant foreign exchange capital raisings. Congratulation Nisreen Rehmanjee, Pathumi Abeysekera, Eneeshya Perera, Anushka Cooray, Nelomi Tissera, Gihan Cooray and Nadija Tambiah.

For their successful efforts in completing what was a herculean task, amid a global pandemic, one of the Chairperson’s awards for Outstanding Achievement, for teams, goes to The Colombo West International Terminal Core Project Team. Congratulations Zafir Hashim, Devika Weerasinghe, Nisreen Rehmanjee, Dileepa Jayatilaka, Vidhumin Grero , Kirthana Krishnakumar, Shehara Gunasekera, Nabeel Lahir and Nadija Tambiah

Team ‘ClickLife’ from Union Assurance was awarded the 2022 John Keells Group Chairperson’s Award for Disruptive Innovation.
Congratulation Jude Gomes, Harsha Senanayake, Mahen Gunarathna, Rumesh Modarage & Vindya Cooray

In recognition of their exemplary demonstrations of their commitment to the values of John Keells and their continued efforts to champion community and livelihood empowerment, the Chairperson’s Award for CSR goes to the team of Hikka Tranz by Cinnamon. Congratulation Lankesha Ponnamperuma, Ali Faizer Firzan, Dilani Hewage and Madushani Panditha

This winner was recognized for their successful strides towards their goal of eliminating the use of single use plastics, completely. Thus far they have been able to achieve an 86% reduction in single use plastic consumption across their Maldivian properties, therefore this Chairperson’s Award for Sustainability performance is awarded to the Cinnamon Hotels and Resorts Maldives team! Congratulation Jayatissa Kehelpannala, Sanjeeva Perera, Rajeeva Rajapakse, Marlon Robert, Vijaykanth Mylvaganam, shanez Wijesinghe, Amaya Rodrigo, Malsha Samarasekara and Ranul Rathninda.

For their success in not only collecting, but recycling an equivalent of 6.7 million PET bottles and establishing recovery facilities which help increase the rate of plastic recycling in the country overall, this Chairperson’s Award for Sustainability performance goes to the ‘Gundamin Elephant House’ initiative by the team of Ceylon Cold Stores. Congratulations Jude Martino, Sanjeewa Jayasundara, Ovin De Silva, Dilshani Edirisinghe, Sanjeewa Udawatte, Janaka Perera and Gihan Samarawickrama

For their efforts towards building capacity and capability of farmers to develop climate resilient and sustainable value chains, in which 4,500 farmers benefitted, this Chairperson’s Award for Sustainability performance goes to the team of JayKay Marketing Services. Congratulation Mifrah Ismail, Nirmal Hettiarachchi, Ruwan Chaminda and Dhanushka Anuradha