Siyapatha Finance appoints Mathisha Hewavitharana as CEO

• Announces seamless leadership transition
• Veteran Ananda Seneviratne concludes tenure as Managing Director 

Mathisha Hewavitharana

Siyapatha Finance PLC, a leading licensed finance company and the largest fully-owned subsidiary of Sampath Bank PLC, yesterday announced a landmark leadership transition. 

Mathisha Hewavitharana, the current Chief Executive Officer (Designate), has been appointed as Chief Executive Officer, effective January 1, 2026. 

He succeeds industry veteran Ananda Seneviratne, who concludes a distinguished seven-year tenure at the helm of the organisation as its Managing Director.

The appointment marks a milestone in Siyapatha’s commitment to internal talent development. 

Hewavitharana, a pioneering member of the team, joined the company in 2005 as a Junior Marketing Executive. Over 20 years, he rose through the ranks, serving as Chief Marketing Officer (CMO) from 2021 and Chief Strategy Officer (CSO) from 2025.

A legacy of growth

Under the outgoing leadership of Seneviratne, Siyapatha Finance transformed into a powerhouse in the non-bank financial institutions (NBFI) sector. During his tenure, the company:

Expanded its footprint to a 61-branch network islandwide.

Grew its asset base to exceed Rs.75 billion.

Secured an A (lka) Stable rating from Fitch Ratings.

Consistently ranked among the top 10 finance companies in Sri Lanka.

New era of leadership

Hewavitharana brings a formidable blend of academic excellence and deep institutional knowledge to the role. A graduate of the University of Colombo, with both a Bachelor’s and an MBA, his credentials include MCIM (UK), AIB and ACMA/CGMA (UK). 

He also received Executive Leadership training at the Stanford Graduate School of Business, USA.

“We are delighted to appoint Mathisha to the top job,” said Siyapatha Finance Chairman Sumith Cumaranatunga. 

“Mathisha is indisputably one of the most brilliant minds of his generation. His appointment is a testament to our robust leadership development process; he has undergone three years of intensive mentoring by the board. We are confident that he will build upon the strong foundation of transparency, governance and profitability laid by his predecessor.”

“Today, Siyapatha is considered one of the well-managed, low risk, highly compliant and most profitable NBFI. The board and I are confident that the company will grow on that strong foundation under the leadership of the new CEO Mathisha as well,” he further added.

Outgoing Managing Director Ananda Seneviratne expressed his confidence in the transition: “Mathisha was a key pillar of my management team. He demonstrated exceptional resilience during national-level economic hardships and possesses the fine business acumen required to lead in a volatile market. I wish him every success.”

Known for an empathetic and humble leadership style, Hewavitharana is recognised across the industry for fostering a culture of self-reliant leadership. His vision for Siyapatha Finance involves leveraging the company’s strong financial health to drive further innovation and community-centric growth.