As the sun rises on a milestone year for Ceylon Business Appliances (CBA), we proudly celebrate 55 years of standing tall as a leader in technology in Sri Lanka—We don’t just celebrate the longevity of a company—we honor a legacy built on passion, resilience, and unwavering commitment to people. Today, CBA stands as a leader in technology in Sri Lanka, but our roots were as humble as they come.
In 1970, CBA began in a modest room with just three individuals and a dream. Founded by the visionary late Chairman, Mr. Charles Singhyar, it was passion—not capital—that laid our foundation. With courage in his heart and trust in his people, he set out to introduce the unseen from the world to Sri Lanka.
Today, that small room has grown into a company of 300+ passionate professionals—a thriving CBA family tree rooted in trust, loyalty, and shared purpose. We’ve withstood the test of time not merely because of business acumen, but because of something far rarer—trust. Through civil war, natural disasters like the tsunami, a global pandemic, and a crippling economic crisis, CBA never faltered. Our strength was never just in our services—it was in our people, and the trust we nurtured through decades of staying true to our word.
“We didn’t just survive,” says Mr. Sardha Fernando, Managing Director. “We stood by our communities when it mattered most. Our focus has never been just chasing numbers—it’s been about standing for our values, ethics, and responsibility to society. That’s what defines our growth.”
This deep culture of integrity is the reason people stay with us—not just clients, but employees too. No one tells the CBA story better than those who lived it. “I’ve been at CBA for over 30 years,” shares Tyrone Perera, Senior Technical Specialist. “People often ask me why I stayed. The truth? You don’t leave a place where you’re respected, cared for, and empowered to grow. In a world full of opportunities, CBA remained the one place that brought out the best version of me—every single day.”
At CBA, our walls echo not with orders, but with empathy, respect, and belonging. We are a sanctuary where hearts and minds from across Sri Lanka unite, and diversity isn’t a checkbox it’s our strength, rhythm, and color. Every culture, belief, and background weaves into the vibrant tapestry of our family, guided by leadership shaped by compassion, not titles. We stand by our people in their hardest moments, living our care through every handshake, conversation, and shared dream. Here, differences are celebrated because we believe innovation is born from inclusion, and that humanity shapes how we serve our clients. We’ve never claimed perfection, but we’ve always chosen honesty, humility, and action over pride and excuses making things right when they went wrong. Over decades, these values have turned relationships into bonds of trust and loyalty, transforming customers into lasting partners.
From our beginnings serving banks and trading companies, CBA has grown into a technological leader with a clear mission to bring world-class innovation to Sri Lanka. We stepped beyond our comfort zones into high-security printing, advanced fintech, and cutting-edge banking technologies. Over the past decade, we’ve embraced startup ecosystems in EduTech, HealthTech, and Digital Enterprise Solutions, fueling the next generation of Sri Lankan entrepreneurs. Along the way, we’ve pioneered the nation’s first cashless vending solution, powered payment systems for 60,000+ merchants, delivered fintech solutions for banks, introduced state-of-the-art kiosks and smart boards, launched mini PCs and laptops, created the first virtual debit and credit card solutions, and developed e-ticketing systems for public transportation
Our most recent endeavor? Driving AI-powered technologies that uplift operational efficiencies and accelerate Sri Lanka’s digital transformation.
This journey is only one phase of a greater purpose—our vision to lead Sri Lanka into the global digital frontier, empowering people, innovating with integrity, and giving back to the land that shaped us. Guided by clarity and conviction, we nurture Sri Lankan talent, champion bold ideas, and carry homegrown technologies onto the world stage as expressions of our nation’s ingenuity. As a catalyst in the country’s digital transformation, we strive to build a smarter, more connected, and inclusive Sri Lanka, while bringing foreign revenue home to uplift our people and fuel our economy.
“We’re not just building a company—we’re building a movement,” says Mr. Ruwath Fernando, Director & CEO. “CBA is expanding across borders to become a truly multinational brand. But we’ll never forget our roots. Our priority will always be to uplift our motherland and its people in every way we can.”
Mr. Ruwath Fernando, Director and CEO, states it with conviction: “We are going global—not just to grow—but to give back. Our goal isn’t just to help our own people, but to touch lives across borders. Yet no matter how far we go, our heart will always beat for our motherland. Because when we uplift each other we rise as a nation.”As we look forward to the next 55 years, our path is clear. With courage in our hearts, compassion in our culture, and innovation in our hands, Ceylon Business Appliances will continue to honor its legacy—not by standing still, but by standing for something greater.
