Ceylinco Consolidated

Ceylinco Consolidated is one of Sri Lanka's oldest and largest business conglomerates until 2008.

Ceylinco Consolidated
TypePrivate limited company
IndustryFinance
Founded1938 (1938)
FoundersJustin Kotalawela
Cyril E. S. Perera
Cyril Rodrigo
Hugh Weerasekere
Defunct2008 (2008)[1]
HeadquartersColombo, Sri Lanka
Key people
Deshamanya Lalith Kotelawala (Group Chairman)
Titus Rodrigo (CEO)
ProductsBanking, Insurance, Non- Banking Finance, Investment Banking, Housing & Property Development, Travel & Leisure, Communication & Information Technology, Education and Healthcare
US$ 120 million (2006–8)[2]
Total assets US$ 250 million (2006–8)
OwnerLalith Kotelawala
Number of employees
more than 30,000 people
SubsidiariesSeylan Bank (1987-2008)[1]

Ceylinco Life (1939-2008) [1]

Ceylinco Insurance (1987-2008)[1]
Websitewww.ceylincoconsolidated.com

History

The original company, Ceylon Insurance Company, was founded by Justin Kotalawela, Cyril Rodrigo, Hugh Weerasekere and Cyril E. S. Perera (UNP member for Colombo North). It was the first Ceylonese company to be registered under the Companies Ordinance of 1938. The company commenced business on 3 April 1939, providing life and general insurance services. The Company was first located in the C.S. Anthony Building at 22 Baillie Street, in Colombo fort and later moved to No.69 Queens’ Street (Janadhipathi Mawatha), where the “Ceylinco House” was constructed.

The first directors of the company consisted of persons from the business world, medical profession and legal profession. They were:- Dr. S. C. Paul; Rosslyn Koch, C. S. Anthony, L. B. de Mel; Dr. P. Kulasinghe; and Cyril E. S. Perera.

Due to the Perera's political stance against the SLFP's divisive "Sinhala Only Act" the Ceylon Insurance Co. was eventually politically persuaded to relinquish control by the then SLFP government of Mrs. Bandaranayake to Senator Justin Kotalawela then on the board of Ceylon Insurance. Justin Kotelawala gained control of Ceylon Insurance Co. from Alice Farmacia Perera, the widow of Cyril E. S. Perera, and from Violet van Dort, the widow of Hugh Weerasekere. Many people at the time were under the impression Ceylon Insurance Co. was not a profitable company due to what people were led to believe, when, in fact, Ceylon Insurance Co. was and still is a significant player in Sri Lanka's economy. Cyril E. S. Perera also co-founded (with the Berenger family) another significant Sri Lankan company, Ceylon Chocolates Limited, known for its Kandos brand, which was named after Kandy where they first produced chocolate bars, in combination with the Latin word for money "dos". Kandos also went under the same SLFP reformation, with control eventually being transferred into the hands of Upali Wijewardana for no monetary value.

Justin Kotelawala and his son Lalith built the renamed Ceylinco into a major company which includes over 500 subsidiary companies. It has more than 450 offices with over 30,000 employees. In 1987 the company’s name was changed to Ceylinco Ltd. when it was registered as a public company. Ceylinco commenced business on 14 January 1988. A few of the many companies incorporated with Ceylinco are listed below.

2009

Ceylinco Consolidated is liable to repay nearly USD 200million for disgruntled[3] depositors[4] of failed Golden Key credit card company,[5] F&G (Finance and Guarantee) PLC, Ceylinco Shiram PLC[6] The scandal, which erupted like a tsunami when the Ceylinco Golden Key Credit Card Company failed to honour its payments to depositors, soon spread to other institutions. it is estimated as at 2009 a sum exceeding Rs. 26.5 billion approx (USD200 million) had to be paid to the 9,054 depositors.

2011

A failed Ceylinco group company, Ceylinco Shiram repaid[7] a sum of With the release of the third tranche of payments by Ceylinco Shriram, nearly 70% of its investors would receive over 50% of their deposits in cash and in August 2011 Ceylico Shiram re paid the rest of the deposits in keeping with the promise made to the depositors that 60% of the deposit money would be settled within 42 months in 2009.[8]

References
  1. "Golden Key collapse". ft.lk/. Wijaya News. Retrieved July 11, 2011.
  2. "Archived copy". Archived from the original on 2011-10-27. Retrieved 2011-10-20.CS1 maint: archived copy as title (link)
  3. http://sundaytimes.lk/090503/FinancialTimes/ft327.html
  4. "Archived copy". Archived from the original on 2012-05-31. Retrieved 2011-10-24.CS1 maint: archived copy as title (link)
  5. "Archived copy". Archived from the original on 2012-03-22. Retrieved 2011-10-24.CS1 maint: archived copy as title (link)
  6. "Archived copy". Archived from the original on 2012-05-06. Retrieved 2011-10-24.CS1 maint: archived copy as title (link)
  7. "Archived copy". Archived from the original on 2012-04-01. Retrieved 2011-10-24.CS1 maint: archived copy as title (link)
  8. "Archived copy". Archived from the original on 2011-07-30. Retrieved 2011-10-24.CS1 maint: archived copy as title (link)
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