The Maliban Group – a household name in Sri Lanka with a 70-year heritage in quality and taste – has announced a significant leadership transition, with Ms. A.G. Kumudika Fernando being appointed as Chairperson of the Group, with effect from the 15th of August 2024. This appointment follows the recent passing of Mr. A.G. Ratnapala Samaraweera, the previously-serving Chairman of the Maliban Group, who is also Ms Fernando’s father. Mr Samaraweera was the son of the late AG Hinni Appuhamy, the legendary Founder of Maliban, and upheld the long-standing Maliban Family tradition of quality, excellence, and innovation.
Kumudika Fernando, who has served as the Managing Director for over a decade, is eminently qualified to lead Maliban into the future, and continue the legacy of the Maliban Family. Trained under her father’s guidance, she has been instrumental in overseeing the management and operations of the company, driving significant growth through product diversification, expanding exports, and entering new markets. Her deep commitment to excellence mirrors the Maliban Family tradition, and she is poised to carry the torch forward, preserving the Maliban legacy while steering the company towards new horizons. As a female leader, Kumudika is dedicated to ensuring that Maliban continues to set the benchmark for quality in Sri Lanka and beyond, while also fostering a more diverse and inclusive workplace.
Ms Fernando is an alumna of Holy Family Convent Bambalapitiya– where she spent her schooling years, and the Singapore American School – where she read for a Bachelor’s Degree in Premed Biology, and Notre Dame de Namur University, San Francisco – where she read for a Master’s Degree in Psychology. Having originally joined the Maliban Group through its subsidiary, Little Lion, in 1993, Ms. Fernando subsequently took a break from professional life to start a family, having her first child in 1995, while still keeping a tab on the business. In 2009, she rejoined the Maliban Group, and in 2013, she was appointed Group Managing Director.
Commenting, Ms Fernando said, “Under my leadership, I aim to carry forward the vision of our Founder Chairman, and our late Chairman, striving to keep Maliban’s promise of delivering unparalleled quality, excellence and taste to the world. My ambition is to take the Maliban name to the world and establish it as a trusted, iconic global brand. We are passionate about driving innovation and introducing new products that cater to evolving consumer tastes while ensuring that the cherished flavours of our favourites remain unchanged across generations. Sustainability will also be a key focus as we move forward, furthering Maliban’s reputation as a responsible corporate citizen.”
During her tenure as Managing Director, Ms Fernando was also instrumental in entering Maliban into a landmark partnership with Reliance Consumer Products Limited, the FMCG subsidiary of Reliance Retail ventures. This move unlocked wide access to the Indian market for Maliban, through Reliance’s extensive retail network. Under this partnership, Maliban launched a range of new biscuit products exclusively for the Indian market, and continues to rise in popularity, supporting growth in both export volumes and foreign exchange earnings.
Maliban is one of the largest manufacturers and exporters of biscuits, confectionaries, and other ready-to-eat food products in Sri Lanka. Recently ranked as Sri Lanka’s Most-Loved Brand for Ready-to-Eat Packed Food by LMD’s Brands Annual Ranking 2024, Maliban’s journey of over 70 years has seen it emerge as a benchmark for product quality and excellence. Trusted by consumers worldwide, Maliban products are enjoyed in over 50 countries, including those with the strictest food safety standards, such as the UK, USA, Australia, the EU, and the UAE.
The company’s commitment to excellence is further underscored by its being the first food company in Sri Lanka to obtain ISO Certification and achieve Super Brand status. This devotion to excellence has also earned Maliban numerous accolades, including the Sri Lanka National Quality Award, which it has won five times, and the prestigious World-Class Award at the Global Performance Excellence awards, which it has received twice consecutively. Maliban is also recognised for its commitment to sustainability, being the first Sri Lankan biscuit manufacturer to receive accredited carbon footprint certificates against the ISO 14064-1:2018 Standard from the Sri Lanka Climate Fund.
