Hans Wijayasuriya to lead fresh committee to revive SriLankan Airlines

The Cabinet has approved the appointment of a committee chaired by Dr. Hans Wijayasuriya, Senior Advisor to the President on Digital Economy, to conduct a strategic review and restructuring of SriLankan Airlines.

Other members of the committee are:

Duminda Hulangamuwa - Senior Economic Advisor to the President
Deshal de Mel - financial and corporate strategy expert
Dumith Fernando - expert in transactions, investment banking, mergers and acquisitions
Secretary of the Ministry of Finance or his representative
Secretary of the Ministry of Transport, Highways and Urban Development/representative of the Civil Aviation Authority
Chairman of SriLankan Airlines
Legal experts with specialisation in corporate, aviation, and public law
Aviation industry experts

The government has identified a comprehensive strategic review of SriLankan Airlines — taking into account broader macroeconomic considerations — as an urgent priority.

The main objective of this review is to establish a financially sustainable and commercially efficient national airline while reducing the long-term financial burden on the state.

Accordingly, it has been deemed appropriate to establish a committee for the strategic review and restructuring of SriLankan Airlines, in collaboration with the International Finance Corporation (IFC), which is acting as the transaction advisor.

The committee will be responsible for:
Conducting an independent review and assessment of strategic perspectives and future courses of action
Providing recommendations on restructuring needs and possible restructuring models
Evaluating specific strategic options and recommending the most suitable path aligned with the government’s overall objectives
Providing oversight, guidance, and support for the implementation of the selected strategy and execution framework decided by the government

The committee will remain in operation throughout the strategic review and restructuring process, or until it is formally dissolved by the Government.