GRI appoints new chairman and CEO

GRI Tires has announced the appointment of a new chairman and a new CEO.

Harris Premaratne was appointed as GRI’s chairman with effect from the 29 March 2018. A veteran banker, Premaratne’s appointment is intended to help take GRI to a “leading position amongst global specialty tyre manufactures”.

Harris Premaratne has over 40 years of banking experience with commercial banks. He served as senior deputy general manager of Commercial bank of Ceylon and as the managing director of Sampath Bank PLC from 2009 to December 2011. He also served as the managing director of Cargills Bank Limited from 2012 to December 2014. Premaratne additionally served as the deputy chairman of Softlogic Finance PLC and Pan Asia Banking Corporation PLC. In addition, he was a director at the Sri Lanka Credit Information Bureau (CRIB) and was the chairman of the Technical Advisory Committee of the Sri Lanka Banks’ Association. He was an Associate Member of the Chartered Institute of Bankers of London and a former president of Sri Lanka Banker’s Association.

Premaratne remains on the Board of Softlogic Holdings PLC, Softlogic Capital and is a director of Asiri Hospitals Holdings PLC., Asiri surgical hospital, Asiri Central hospital.

Dr Mahesha Ranasoma appointed CEO

On 11 July GRI announced that it appointed Dr Mahesha Ranasoma as its CEO, with effect from 23 July 2018. Chairman Harris Premaratne commented: “It is with utmost pleasure that we welcome Dr Ranasoma to our team, I believe that a prosperous future is ahead of us and together we will strive to new heights.”

Ranasoma served as managing director of Dipped Products PLC for a period of over 8 years. He is on the Board of Directors of Hayleys Plc and prior to this appointment, he served as the Country chairman and managing director of Shell Gas Lanka Limited and Shell Terminal Lanka Limited. Dr Ranasoma has over 6 years of Research & Development as well as teaching experience as a senior university lecturer in Civil/Costal Engineering at the Open University of Sri Lanka. He is versed in Environmental Management and was an active consultant for major private sector and donor funded projects in Sri Lanka.

Dr Ranasoma holds a Bachelors Degree in Engineering from the University of Peradeniya, an MBA from the University of Wales, UK along with a PhD specializing in Coastal Engineering from the University of Cambridge, UK.

“GRI is exceptionally proud to have Dr. Mahesha Ranasoma on our leadership board, his immense vigour and business acumen will support GRI in exceeding our goals”, stated managing director of GRI Prabhash Subasinghe.