Dilith Jayaweera

Dilith Susantha Jayaweera (born 18 September 1967) is a Sri Lankan businessman, entrepreneur, media mogul, lawyer and politician. In 2011, he was named by the LMD as one of the ten ‘Business People of the Year’. In 2020, Dilith Jayaweera was among 100 corporate leaders named by the LMD on its A-list of businesspeople who continue to drive the engine of growth in Sri Lanka. He is the Chairman of George Steuart & Co., Sri Lanka's oldest mercantile establishment and Derana, one of Sri Lanka's largest media networks. He entered Politics officially in September 2023, and was appointed the leader of the Mawbima Janatha Party.

Education
Jayaweera received his primary and secondary education at St. Aloysius' College, Galle, and later joined the Faculty of Law at the University of Colombo, and subsequently Sri Lanka Law College, where he qualified as an Attorney-At-Law. He also holds an MBA from the University of Wales.

Career
A lawyer by profession, Dilith Jayaweera set up Triad Advertising (Pvt) Limited in 1993, in partnership with Varuni Amunugama, whom he had met at the Faculty of Law, University of Colombo. Triad is the most awarded indigenous advertising agency in Sri Lanka.

Jayaweera's agency is known to have been behind several high-profile campaigns including ‘Api Wenuwen Api’ created on behalf of the Sri Lanka forces to raise the profile of the army, navy and air force during the latter stages of the Sri Lankan civil war against the LTTE.

The company has been heavily diversified and Jayaweera has set up over 20 subsidiaries. His media investments includes two national television channels Derana Macro Entertainment (Television), one national radio channel Derana Macro Entertainment (Radio) and three national newspapers Liberty Publishers. With the aim of building a modern conglomerate, Jayaweera entered industries such as travel and leisure, pharmaceuticals, property and manufacturing where he has established a strong presence through the George Steuart Group of companies.

Political career
Dilith Jayaweera played a main role in bolstering Gotabaya Rajapaksa's 2019 Sri Lankan presidential election Campaign through multifaceted support and strategic media influence. As the Founder and CEO of TV Derana, a prominent media conglomerate in Sri Lanka, Jayaweera orchestrated a media strategy that significantly amplified Rajapaksa's visibility and message dissemination. Derana's extensive coverage, encompassing television, radio, and social media, provided a powerful platform for Rajapaksa's campaign, reaching diverse audiences across the country. Jayaweera's astute guidance and the network's tailored programming not only showcased Rajapaksa's policies and promises but also shaped public discourse in favor of the candidate. This concerted media backing, coupled with Jayaweera's strategic maneuvering, contributed substantially to Gotabaya Rajapaksa's successful journey to the presidency.

Dilith Jayaweera formalised his entry into Sri Lankan politics in 2023 through his appointment as the leader of the Mawbima Janatha Party (MJP), succeeding Hemakumara Nanayakkara, who shifted to an advisory position as 'Senior Leader'.

Before the announcement, he resigned from Board positions held in several listed companies including Citrus Leisure PLC, Colombo Land & Development Company PLC, Waskaduwa Beach Resort PLC, and Hikkaduwa Beach Resort PLC.

Jayaweera's active engagement in politics marks a significant shift in his career, generating interest in potential changes to the political landscape given his intention to nurture a new brand of politics based on the philosophy of an entrepreneurial state.

Post-war investments
In the post-war Sri Lankan economy, Jayaweera rose to prominence as an aggressive investor   – his investment arm Divasa Equity is a majority shareholder in public listed companies such as Citrus Leisure PLC and Colombo Land & Development Company PLC, and in October 2011 took over the 176-year-old George Steuart Group, Sri Lanka's oldest mercantile establishment and a successful diversified conglomerate. He has held Board positions on the Boards of several companies including Citrus Leisure PLC, Colombo Land PLC, and Triad (Pvt) Ltd, and is Chairman of the George Steuart Group of Companies.

Controversy
The District Judge of Colombo in 2011 issued an enjoining order against Telshan Network of Opposition Leader Ranil Wickremesinghe’s brother Shan Wickremesinghe and one of his directors preventing them from defaming Dilith Jayaweera on a local radio channel Isira Radio. Order was given consequent to action filed by Dilith Jayaweera against Shan Wickremesinghe and his co-host for defamatory comments made on a radio show. Jayaweera also sent the BBC Sinhala service a letter of demand for defamation for carrying a story on the subject.

Personal life
Dilith Jayaweera is married to Nelum, his contemporary at the University of Colombo. Dilith – along with his three brothers, Lalith, Gayan and Upul grew up in Galle, on the southern coast of Sri Lanka. His Father was an Additional Registrar of Lands and the Mother was a School Principal. Dilith Jayaweera has been linked to Dinesh Palipana, Queensland's first quadriplegic intern. Palipana has credited Jayaweera with helping him progress through the accident that left him a quadriplegic.