Top businessman and share market investor Nimal Perera has stepped down from the positions he has held in several listed companies in order to be an 'independent investor', he told The Island Financial Review yesterday. He held a number of positions in companies where multi-billionaire entrepreneur Dhammika Perera, had majority shareholding.
His letter of resignation from the post of Managing Director at Royal Ceramics PLC with effect from Match 7, 2017 had been accepted by the company’s board of directors.
He said that at present he is 57 years old and having two companies, wants to handle his business activities more independently in the future.
Many stock market analysts said that Nimal Perera is a dynamic stock market investor and after quitting all the relevant corporate positions he will be building 'his own business empire.'
At a protracted, late evenings board meeting at Royal Ceramic PLC on Monday, a decision was arrived at over the future course. Nimal Perera resigned as Managing Director of RCL as well as from all Boards of Dhammika Perera- controlled companies, including the diversified conglomerate Hayleys PLC and Vallibel One PLC.
With effect from March 8, 2017, Nimal Perera resigned from his post as director with several listed companies, including Amaya Leisure, Kingsbury Hotel, Haycarb, Talawakelle Plantations Ltd., Horana Plantation Lanka, Ceramic Lanka Walltiles, Swisstec (Ceylon) PLC and Lanka Tiles.
The market sensed a likely shift in the duo's course when in mid-2014, Nimal acquired Mercantile Produce Brokers and prior to that an investment vehicle, NP Capital Ltd.In late June 2014, longstanding chairman A.W. Weerasinghe stepped down from his post at RCL and Dhammika assumed chairmanship. It is learnt that Weerasinghe who was subsequently appointed as deputy chairman had been entrusted to oversee administration at RCL following the exit of Nimal.
The Island, March 9, 2017
By Hiran H.Senewiratne