Kandiah Balendra
Kandiah "Ken" Balendra | |
|---|---|
| Born | Kandiah Balendra Template:Birth date Colombo, Sri Lanka |
| Died | February 3, 2025 (aged 85) Colombo, Sri Lanka |
| Other names | Ken Balendra |
| Occupation | Business executive |
| Years active | 1963–2011 |
| Known for | First Sri Lankan chairman of John Keells Holdings |
Deshamanya Kandiah "Ken" Balendra (3 February 1940 – 3 February 2025) was a distinguished Sri Lankan business executive who occupied prominent leadership positions within Sri Lanka and the broader region. Notably, he was the inaugural Sri Lankan to serve as chairman of John Keells Holdings Ltd., the country’s largest diversified conglomerate. Additionally, he led Brandix Lanka Ltd. and the South Asia Regional Fund under the Commonwealth Development Corporation.
Early life and education
Born in 1940 into a Tamil household in Colombo, Balendra was the son of a revenue inspector. He pursued his education at Royal College, Colombo, where he demonstrated exceptional athletic ability and took part in the 1958 Bradby Shield Encounter, contributing to his team’s success in ending Trinity College’s six-year dominance. His active participation with the Ceylonese Rugby & Football Club earned him the moniker "Ken."
Career
Balendra’s professional journey commenced in 1963 as a planter with Finlays, an independent firm specializing in tea and horticultural products. In 1969, he joined John Keells Holdings (then known as John Keell Thompson White Ltd) and, after establishing himself as a successful tea broker, was appointed to the board of directors in 1974. Between 1990 and 2000, he held the position of chairman—the first Sri Lankan to do so—during which time he guided the company through significant expansion and diversification. His stewardship transformed John Keells from a colonial-era tea brokerage into Sri Lanka’s foremost conglomerate.
Beyond John Keells, Balendra chaired several major institutions including the Bank of Ceylon (2000–2002), Ceylon Tobacco Company (2003–2008), the Securities and Exchange Commission (2000–2002), the Insurance Board of Sri Lanka, and led the Ceylon Chamber of Commerce from 1998 to 2000. In April 2000, he was appointed as the first president of the Sri Lanka Institute of Directors. He also served on the board of Chevron Lubricants Lanka for over ten years until stepping down in 2011.
In 2011, The Sunday Leader recognized Balendra among "The 20 Billionaires of Sri Lanka's Stock Market," placing him at number eleven with assets valued close to 2.5 billion Rupees.
Personal life and death
In 1969, Balendra married Swyrie, a medical professional. The couple had two children: Natasha, who formerly chaired the National Child Protection Authority, and Krishan, who has been leading the Colombo Stock Exchange since 2011. Krishan received his education at both INSEAD and the University of London.
Kandiah Balendra died in Colombo on his 85th birthday, 3 February 2025.
Honours and recognition
- Conferred with the national honour Deshamanya by President Chandrika Kumaratunga in 1998.
- Served as Honorary Consul General for the Republic of Poland in Sri Lanka.
- Awarded The Cavaliers Cross of the Order of Merit of Poland in 2007.
- Honored as Sri Lankan of the Year (1998) and voted Most Effective Business Leader in Sri Lanka (2003) by Lanka Monthly Digest.