Upul Wijesinghe appointed to AIA Sri Lanka director board

AIA Sri Lanka has announced the appointment of Upul Wijesinghe as an Executive Director of the board of

directors, with effect from January 30, 2023, subject to the approval of the Insurance Regulatory Commission of Sri Lanka. 

Wijesinghe is Deputy Chief Executive Officer and Chief Distribution Officer of AIA Sri Lanka. He is a highly respected insurance professional in the industry, with over 30 years of experience. 
Wijesinghe started his journey with the company as a Graduate Management Trainee and climbed up the corporate ladder through his career with the company. He has gained extensive exposure in general management, all aspects of life and general insurance, including sales and technical covering, also underwriting, reinsurance and multiple distribution channels at various levels and also received both local and international training opportunities with the company. He has previously held the statutory positions of Specified Officer and Principal Officer of the company as well. 

Wijesinghe is an Associate Member of the Chartered Insurance Institute of UK and a Chartered Insurer. He holds a B.Sc. (Hons) in Mathematics from the University of Colombo and a Postgraduate Diploma in Actuarial Science from the Uva Wellassa University. 

Wijesinghe was President of the Sri Lanka Insurance Institute (SLII) from 2001 to 2003. He was instrumental in establishing the SLII’s Insurance Agency qualification examination for Sri Lanka and the National Insurance Congress. In an ultimate honour, he was inducted to the Hall of Fame of the SLII in 2015. 

Wijesinghe was instrumental in setting up AIA’s highly successful life agency sales force and its best-in-class operational model islandwide, with over 100 branches, over 4000 agents and 350 Agency leaders. He has received many accolades locally and internationally, including the AIA group’s Best Growth CAO Award 2021 and 2H Rebound CAO Challenge Category 2020. This new appointment to AIA Sri Lanka’s board is yet another outstanding milestone in Wijesinghe’s professional journey.

AIA Sri Lanka Chairman Tan Hak Leh, welcoming Wijesinghe to the board, noted that Wijesinghe would be adding much value to the board with his vast experience in the local insurance industry and his leadership contribution in steering the business forwards in a challenging environment. He further stated that this appointment is another apt demonstration of the AIA group’s trust in and appreciation of the local talent in Sri Lanka.  

AIA Sri Lanka CEO/Executive Director Chathuri Munaweera, congratulating the appointment, added that the appointment of Wijesinghe to the board is a testament of his commitment, dedication and capacity to support the company in the long term, in pursuing its ambitious aspirations and providing the much-needed insurance protection to Sri Lankans.