Kushan Kodituwakku appointed as new COYLE Chairman

The Chamber of Young Lankan Entrepreneurs (COYLE) appointed its new Chairman Kushan Kodituwakku for the year 2017/18 at the Annual General Meeting held recently at the Oak Room of Cinnamon Grand, Colombo.

Kushan takes the helm from the outgoing COYLE Chairman Kasun Rajapaksa and will execute the chamber’s advocacy initiatives, working closely with the chamber’s management committee. Kodituwakku, Managing Director of Orange Electric, brings to the table several unique qualities. 
Educated at D.S. Senanayake College and later graduating in the USA in the field of industrial engineering, he was thrust into the world of business at the age of 22 after the demise of his father. Kodituwakku faced many a challenge to convert a local brand to a global brand called Orange Electric, which he heads today and now enjoys a business presence in five continents. 
Another distinction which is unknown to many is Orange Electric’s s IT vertical, which is the largest IT employer in Sri Lanka. It is involved with the innovative Driverless Car project, deploying over 1500 Sri Lankan youth in a single project.
“We’re pleased to have Kushan taking over chairmanship. We’ve selected a very strong leader at a time when COYLE is in a very strong position,” said Rajapaksa.
“Today’s pace of change is exponential. Kushan is unique in his ability to translate vision and strategy into world-class execution, bringing together our members to drive results. I’m certain that he will move the chamber forward with the speed required to capitalize on the opportunities in front of us. His vision, strategy and execution track record is exactly what COYLE needs as we enter our next chapter, which I am confident will continue to be impactful.”
Kodituwakku shared his vision for COYLE saying, “My dream is to see Sri Lanka build local brands globally. We may have to learn, on our own as to, how it could be done.  The concepts, framework, models, etc., it will have to be home grown, purely learnt from our own efforts, through our successes and failures. Like nobody shares how to make great wine, countries have learnt and matured over generations. The fruits of our labour would be enjoyed by our children, if we act now.”
He added, “I am also pleased to have a group of erudite businessmen who bring their invaluable experience and contacts that we can be called upon as we take this vibrant chamber into a prosperous future.” 
COYLE is a business chamber with over 120 members comprising of business owners and entrepreneurs having an extensive national and international business network, offering a broad spectrum of activities and services. The chamber members collaborate with government officials, policymakers and community organisations to support the community and each other with the mission of building businesses and community through its motto, ‘Recognition through Excellence’.