Acorn appoints new Deputy CEO and COO

Suranjith De Fonseka

Saminda Weerasinghe

Acorn Group recently announced the appointment of Suranjith De Fonseka as Deputy Chief Executive Officer and Saminda Weerasinghe as Chief Operating Officer (COO), strengthening its senior leadership team as the organisation continues to drive growth and transformation across its business portfolio. 

Both appointments came into effect from April 1, 2026.

Suranjith was a founder Partner of Acorn Group in 2020 and has held many senior positions within the group and was Chief Operating Officer until recently. 

In his new role as Deputy CEO, Suranjith will carry overall responsibility for performance, with a focus on driving revenue and profit growth across the organisation’s diverse business units while ensuring the successful delivery of key strategic initiatives. The appointment marks an important step in the organisation’s leadership transition, reflecting its continued focus on strengthening governance, performance and strategic direction.

Meanwhile, Saminda has been appointed COO, joining the Executive Committee and serving as a member of the Acorn leadership team. As COO, Saminda will lead the Transformation Programme, translating the organisation’s strategic vision into operational execution and driving performance. His role will be pivotal in ensuring the transformation agenda is implemented with clarity, discipline and pace.

Saminda, CFA, brings over 20 years of experience in corporate finance and private equity. A CFA Charter holder and Fellow Member of CIMA (UK), he is recognised for his strong analytical expertise and ability to unlock value across sectors including manufacturing, renewable energy and technology. 

He has led large-scale mergers, acquisitions and complex restructuring initiatives as a senior investment banking executive and has held multiple C-level and Director roles across manufacturing, export, real estate and technology sectors within leading Sri Lankan organisations and startups.

CEO Malinga Arsakularatne said, “These appointments represent an important step in strengthening our leadership team as we continue to grow and evolve.”