Nimal Lokuge takes over from Rohan Karunaratne as Chairman Agstar
View(s):Long-time Chairman Rohan Karunaratne is retiring at Agstar PLC and will be succeeded by Nimal Lokuge.
Mr. Rohan Karunaratne
Mr. Nimal Lokuge
Mr. Karunaratne, affectionately known as the ‘father of Agstar’, is one of the most respected figures in Sri Lanka’s agriculture sphere, having earlier carved a name for himself while on the board of Ceylon Tobacco and later at CIC Holdings PLC.
According to a company media release, when Mr. Karunaratne co launched Agstar which would go on to become a public-quoted company, Sri Lanka’s agricultural industry was controlled by a few giants with a long history. “He saw a compelling need for a level-playing field and new thinking. His band of like-minded visionaries carved a new niche in agriculture under the tutelage of the master practitioner with Agstar ascending to the third spot among giants of the industry,” the release said.
Now Agstar PLC has grown into a dynamic force, crossing the Rs. 3 billion milestone in revenue on the back of strong performances by its seven companies in the Agstar portfolio.
“Mr. Rohan Karunaratne leaves the shoes of a giant so colossal it would be a herculean challenge to fill them. But his true legacy is that he has trained us all to respond to the calling,” said Mr. Lokuge, new Chairman who is poised to lead Agstar into the future.
Mr. Lokuge, who was part of the nucleus as a Director when Agstar PLC commenced operations in 2002 will lead the one of the rising stars in agriculture overseeing what is evidently emerging as an agri-centric Sri Lanka in the 2020’s. Mr. Lokuge was also a founder director of Sierra Construction, a diversified game-changer, emerging as a leading light in the construction industry counting over three decades of acumen.