Siyapatha Finance PLC has appointed Deshal de Mel and Nishani De Zoysa as Independent Non-Executive Directors to its Board with effective from the 18th of May, 2026.
Mr. Deshal de Mel is a distinguished Sri Lankan economist and corporate professional with extensive experience in economic policy, financial markets, and corporate governance.
He has served as an Independent Non-Executive Director of Sampath Bank PLC, including in the capacity of Senior Independent Director, contributing to the Bank’s strategic direction and governance oversight.
Mr. de Mel has held several key positions in both the public and private sectors. He served as an Economic Advisor to the Ministry of Finance, where he was closely involved in macroeconomic policy formulation and reform initiatives. He has also been a Commissioner of the Securities and Exchange Commission of Sri Lanka, providing regulatory oversight to the capital market.
In the corporate sector, he has served on the Boards of leading institutions, including at present Capital Alliance PLC and Fairfirst Insurance Ltd and previously Janashakthi Insurance PLC. He has also held senior roles within the Hayleys Group, contributing to economic analysis and business strategy.
He holds a Bachelor of Arts (Honours) in Philosophy, Politics and Economics from the University of Oxford and a Master of Science in International Political Economy from the London School of Economics and Political Science.
Mr. de Mel was recognised as a Young Global Leader by the World Economic Forum.
He is a member of the Board Integrated Risk Management Committee and the Board Nominations and Governance Committee of Siyapatha Finance PLC.
Ms. Nishani De Zoysa is a seasoned banking professional with over 30 years of experience in Corporate Banking, Project Finance, and Development Finance. She served at DFCC Bank PLC from July 2003 to November 2024, most recently as Assistant Vice President – Corporate Banking, where she managed large corporate portfolios with full P&L and risk responsibility, and structured complex financing solutions including syndicated and project finance transactions.
She has extensive experience in stakeholder engagement across government, state-owned enterprises, and leading corporates, as well as in credit risk management and portfolio governance. Prior to DFCC, she held several roles at Seylan Bank PLC, gaining broad exposure to corporate and retail banking operations.
Ms. De Zoysa holds an MBA from the University of Colombo (Merit). and is an Associate Member of CIMA (UK) and the Institute of Bankers of Sri Lanka. She also holds a Postgraduate Diploma in Marketing from CIM (UK).
She is a member of the Board Human Resources and Remuneration Committee and the Board Audit Committee of Siyapatha Finance PLC.
