CFA Society Sri Lanka to Host Exclusive Programme on Wealth Maximizing Options for Family Businesses

Initiative to provide family-business owners with practical insights on growth, succession, capital raising and long-term wealth creation

CFA Society Sri Lanka, under its Learnings sub-brand, will host “Wealth Maximizing Options for Family Businesses,” an exclusive one-day programme designed for owners and principal shareholders of family-owned businesses considering the next phase of growth, succession, ownership transition and wealth creation.

The programme will be held on Thursday, 17 September 2026, from 9.00 a.m. to 3.00 p.m. at Courtyard by Marriott, Colombo City Centre, with participation limited to 25 attendees.

The initiative reflects CFA Society Sri Lanka’s broader commitment to promoting financial education, professional excellence and the development of Sri Lanka’s investment and capital-market ecosystem. Through its Learnings platform, the Society seeks to bring relevant financial and investment expertise closer to the wider business community and create opportunities for decision-makers to engage with experienced practitioners.

Family-owned businesses often reach critical stages where shareholders must evaluate whether to continue investing in the business, bring in strategic or financial investors, pursue an IPO, undertake mergers or acquisitions, or unlock part of the wealth they have created. These decisions are also closely connected to succession, governance, intergenerational wealth transfer and the long-term interests of shareholders.

Commenting on the initiative, Rashmi Peiris Paranavitane, CFA, President of CFA Society Sri Lanka, said:

“Family-owned businesses are an important part of Sri Lanka’s economy, and as they grow, decisions around ownership, succession, capital and long-term value creation become increasingly important. Through initiatives such as this, CFA Society Sri Lanka aims to provide business owners with access to relevant expertise and practical perspectives that can support better-informed decisions while contributing to stronger and more sustainable capital markets.”

The programme will focus on three key areas: developing wealth-maximising strategic options; evaluating exit pathways including IPOs, strategic investors and private equity; and using transformational M&A to preserve and accelerate business value.

Discussions will cover business lifecycle and shareholder returns, intergenerational wealth transfer, governance and transaction readiness, valuation, management depth, private equity, strategic investors, IPOs and mergers and acquisitions. Participants will also gain insights into the financial, tax, legal, technology, human-resource and regulatory considerations involved in major transactions.

The programme will be conducted by a multidisciplinary group of senior professionals comprising Chanakya Dissanayake, CFA, Head of Corporate Consulting at LYNEAR Advisors; Yaveen Jayasekara, PhD, Group Chief Strategy Officer at HNB Investment Bank; Ruvini Fernando, Head of Financial Advisory at Deloitte; and Punyamali Saparamadu, CFA, Senior Vice President – Commercial at the Colombo Stock Exchange.

It will also feature business perspectives from Shayam Sathasivam, Group Chief Executive Officer of Sunshine Holdings PLC, and Oshadhini Jayasundara, Group Managing Director of AJRJ Group, enabling participants to complement technical discussions with experiences and insights from business leaders.

Aruna Alwis, Chief Executive Officer of CFA Society Sri Lanka, said:

“Through our Learnings initiatives, we aim to connect the expertise of the investment profession with real-world business challenges. For family businesses, strategic decisions are often about more than financial returns; they also involve ownership, control, succession and preserving wealth for future generations. We want participants to leave this programme with a clearer framework to assess the options available to them and better understand how to prepare their businesses for the future.”

The programme is particularly relevant for owners and shareholders of family businesses, leaders evaluating growth or exit opportunities, and families preparing for intergenerational wealth transition.