Ken Balendra passes away

Sri Lankan corporate leader and executive Deshamanya Kandiah (“Ken”) Balendra passed away at the age of 85 on February 3, 2025, his family confirmed.

Born in 1940, Balendra had an illustrious career, holding numerous influential corporate positions in Sri Lanka and the region.

He was the first Sri Lankan Chairman of John Keells Holdings Ltd., one of the largest conglomerates in Sri Lanka, and played a pivotal role in transforming the company in the 1980s from a colonial-era tea broking house into a major business entity.

Balendra also served as the first Chairman of Brandix Group, a leading apparel manufacturer.

At the time of his death, he was serving as the Chairman of the South Asia Regional Fund of the Commonwealth Development Corporation.

Known as “Ken” to some and “Bala” to others, he was a legendary figure whose remarkable career began with his early days as a schoolboy rugby star. He went on to become a planter and later a dynamic corporate leader.

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