Board of Directors

S. Chandra Das

Non-Executive Chairman and Independent Director

Mr. S. Chandra Das was appointed as the Non-Executive Chairman and Independent Director of our Company on 5th June 2012. He has over 40 years of experience primarily in companies involved in the trading and manufacturing industries.

At present, Mr. Chandra Das is the Managing Director of NUR Investment & Trading Pte. Ltd and he sits as an Independent Director on the Boards of Yeo Hiap Seng Ltd and TalkMed Group Ltd and is a director in several other companies also.

Mr. Chandra Das currently serves as Singapore's Non-Resident High Commissioner to Sri Lanka, the Pro-Chancellor of Nanyang Technology University in Singapore and a Life Trustee of the Singapore Indian Development Association (SINDA).

Mr. Chandra Das graduated with a Bachelor of Arts Degree in Economics (Honours) from the University of Singapore (now known as National University of Singapore). He has been conferred with an Honorary Doctorate in Business by the University of Newcastle, Australia and an Honorary Doctorate in Commercial Science by St. John's University, New York.

Hariharan Selvanathan

Deputy Chairman and Chief Executive Officer

Mr. Hariharan Selvanathan was appointed to the Board on 28th May 2012, as the Deputy Chairman of our Company and was appointed as its Chief Executive Officer with effect from 1st November 2017. He is responsible for the strategic direction and overall management of our business operations. He has over 20 years of experience in commodity trading in the international markets.

Presently, Mr. Selvanathan is the Chairman of Bukit Darah PLC (BDPLC), Deputy Chairman of Carson Cumberbatch PLC (CCPLC) (the ultimate parent companies of GAHL) and some of their subsidiary companies. He also holds concurrent appointments as the Vice Chairman of Ceylon Beverage Holdings PLC and Vice Chairman of Lion Brewery (Ceylon) PLC.

Mr. Selvanathan graduated with a Bachelor of Commerce Degree from the University of Madras, India.

Jayaprakash Mathavan

Chief Operating Officer (Edible Oils & Fats Segment) and Executive Director

Mr. Jayaprakash Mathavan was appointed as an Executive Director of our Company on 16th January 2008 and has held the position of Chief Operating Officer of our edible oils and fats business segment since September 2011. He is responsible for overseeing the entire operations of our edible oils and fats business segment. He has a background in auditing, manufacturing, palm plantations and trading.

Mr. Mathavan graduated with a Bachelor’s Degree in Commerce (B. Com) with First Class Honours from Bharathidasan University, India. He is an Associate Member of the Chartered Institute of Management Accountants (CIMA), United Kingdom, a Fellow Member of the Association of Chartered Certified Accountants, United Kingdom, and a Member of the Malaysian Institute of Accountants.

Don Chandima Gunawardena

Non-Executive Non-Independent Director

Mr. Don Chandima Gunawardena was appointed as a Non-Executive Director of our Company on 7th June 2012. Presently, he is also a Non-Executive Director of Bukit Darah PLC (BDPLC) and Carson Cumberbatch PLC (CCPLC) and sits on the Boards other subsidiary companies of CCPLC and BDPLC. He has over four decades of experience in varied fields of business and commercial activities and has held senior positions in the corporate sector.

Mr. Gunawardena is a Fellow Member of the Chartered Institute of Management Accountant (CIMA), United Kingdom.

Ajith Weeratunge

Non-Executive Non-Independent Director

Mr. Ajith Weeratunge is a Non-Executive Director of our Company and was appointed on 29th January 2018.

He is the Director Finance of Carson Cumberbath PLC and several real estate investment subsidiaries and management companies of Carson Cumberbath PLC. Mr. Weeratunge has been with the Carsons Group for over 20 years and has more than 37 years of finance related experience in several leading mercantile sector companies in Sri Lanka.

He is a Fellow Member of the Chartered Institute of Management Accountants (CIMA), United Kingdom.

Abdullah Bin Tarmugi

Independent Director

Mr. Abdullah Bin Tarmugi is an Independent Director of our Company and was appointed to the Board on 7th June 2012.

At present, Mr. Tarmugi also serves an as Independent Director on the Board of Guocoland Limited, and The Islamic Bank of Asia Ltd, a subsidiary of DBS Bank Ltd and Pacific Insurance Berhad. He is currently a member on the Board of Trustees of National University of Singapore and an Independent Director of the Tsao Foundation Mr. Tarmugi is presently a member of the Presidential Council for Minority Rights and was the Speaker of Parliament of Singapore from 2002 to 2011.

Mr. Tarmugi graduated with a Bachelor of Social Sciences Degree (Honours), from the University of Singapore (now known as National University of Singapore). He also holds a post-graduate Diploma in Urban Studies (Developing Countries) (with Merit) conferred by the University College, University of London, United Kingdom, under the Commonwealth Scholarship.

C. T. J. Chan

Independent Director

Mr. C. T. J. Chan was appointed as an Independent Director of our Company on 7th June 2012. Mr. C. T. J. Chan was appointed as an Independent Director of our Company on 7th June 2012.

Presently, he is also an Independent Director of Ho Bee Land Ltd and a Director of Ho Bee Foundation. He served as Non-Executive Chairman and Independent Director AXA Insurance Singapore Pte Ltd and an Independent Director of Pacific Healthcare Holdings Ltd.

Mr. Chan has over 45 years of finance and accounting experience.

Mr. Chan is a Fellow Member of the Institute of Chartered Accountants of England and Wales and a Fellow Member of the Institute of Singapore Chartered Accountants.