The Lankan Angel Network (LAN), the country’s largest network of angel investors, has appointed Chandi Dharmaratne as its Chairperson for 2021/2022, at its most recent Board Meeting held in September. She is the first woman to lead the Lankan Angel Network.
Dharmaratne succeeds Mano Sekaram, Founder/CEO – 99x, who welcomed her by stating; “Chandi has been an important person in the LAN ecosystem, and I can think of no better person to lead the Angel Fund as it continues to focus on creating positive change for our communities, and for Sri Lanka.”
Currently serving as the Vice President of Human Resources at Virtusa, Dharmaratne is responsible for the company’s global HR automation strategy. With a career that began in New York, Dharmaratne returned to Sri Lanka and joined MAS Holdings, where she has held many leadership roles for over a decade. In 2013, she joined Virtusa as the Head of HR for the Sri Lanka geography. Since then, Dharmaratne has forged an award-winning, and much-accoladed career. She has also been involved in multiple university collaborations, for example with the Universities of Moratuwa, Kelaniya, Peradeniya, etc., to bring industry requirements into our local curricula.
Additionally, Dharmaratne has been recognized in Echelon’s list of “50 Most Powerful Women in Sri Lanka” and, in 2019, was included in its “New Establishment 100,” wherein only the most innovative and influential young leaders succeeding in many different areas of business were recognized. Before taking up her new role as Chairperson, Dharmaratne served as a Board Member of LAN since 2019.
Dharmaratne said, “This is a particularly interesting time where change is accelerated, and adaptability is mandatory, for us to take advantage of new opportunities. With the excellent support from the talented, and well-experienced, industry insiders who make up this year’s Board, I am confident that we will be able to drive Sri Lanka’s startup ecosystem to new heights.”
It is also noteworthy that the 2021/2022 Board, as well as being led by a woman, comprises 30% female representation overall – a significantly higher percentage than other corporates in the country.
Additionally, LAN announced the 2021/2022 Board Members for its Rs. 100 million Angel Fund, which is also chaired by Dharmaratne. The Fund’s Board further comprises Anarkali Moonesinghe, Mano Sekaram, Prajeeth Balasubramanium, Dumindra Ratnayake, Suren Pinto, Founder and CEO – Wavenet Group, and Channa Manoharan, Chief Operating Officer/Advisory Leader – PwC Sri Lanka.
The platform’s Rs. 100 million Angel Fund continues to identify and evaluate opportunities for investment across the island, including in traditionally underserved regions.
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