Arj Samarakoon
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Arjuna Samarakoon | |
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| Born | May 27th, 1979 (age 44) |
| Nationality | Sri Lankan |
| Citizenship | Sri Lanka & Australia |
| Education | Trinity College Kandy |
| Spouse(s) | Thilini Ekanayake |
| Children | 1 |
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Arjuna Nayanaka Samarakoon, known as "Arj Samarakoon" (born May 27th, 1979) is an investor and seasoned entrepreneur and in the realms of finance, accounting, and IT. He is a general partner at Plus 94. He holds 20 years' of expertise catering to 800 businesses across the world.
Arj has made contributions to the industries of technology, outsourcing, finance, and accounting in over 14 countries. He advises fast-growing businesses and public-private partnerships on technology, growth, and automation, emphasizing customer-centric leadership.
Early life
Education
Arj was born in Sri Lanka and attended Trinity College Kandy where he completed his high school education. He then went on to earned a Master of Business Administration (MBA – AGSE), Master of Entrepreneurship (AGSE), Bachelor of Business (Accounting and Finance), Bachelor of Information Technology (Software Engineering) and Bachelor of Applied Sciences.
Father
Arj's father, Major Siri Samarakoon joined the Sri Lanka Army in 1967 after completing his LLB through the University of Peradeniya Sri Lanka. He joined the Sri Lanka Artillery Regiment where he was among the final officer cadets from Sri Lanka to receive training in Larkhill, England. Returning to Sri Lanka, his career led him to the 2V Singha Regiment, where he served as the adjutant to Colonel Divithotewala, the Commanding Officer. In the turbulent year of 1971, during an insurrection, he was wounded and decided to resign from the Army, holding the rank of Major.
He started a commercial career in commerce, contributing his expertise to banks and finance companies. However, in 1983, amidst the onset of the Sri Lankan Civil War, he rekindled his connection with the military. This time, he stepped into the role of director within the Ministry of Defence. He was the chief of security for the Sri Lanka Freedom Party for 10 years and also worked at the MOD (Ministry of Defence) for 10 years. Part of the Judge Advocate General – within the Tri Forces – he resigned from Public service in the 1990’s after the death of his son, Pilot Officer Vishwa Samarakoon. Siri then went onto build a security consulting firm with 480 employees – from which he retired in 2009. Siri spent his final years supporting his children and his network of friends and colleagues most of whom still hold significant positions in the current government.
Business Career
As a seasoned Entrepreneur, he offers a comprehensive perspective on corporate enterprise, combining growth and adversity insights. Arj takes great pleasure in sharing his learning and expertise with accountants and business owners, in areas of outsourcing, financial control, risk analysis, management reporting, company structures and strategy.
Plus 94
Plus 94 is headquartered in Singapore with an office in Sri Lanka. It is a private equity firm with a specific focus on investments aimed at generating revenue in U.S. dollars within the Sri Lankan market. Arj, alongside with Niro Cooke hold the positions of general partners in the company.[1] Their investments target enterprises linked to Sri Lanka, irrespective of where they may be headquartered. Reasons for this are:[2]
- Attractive Geographic Location and Manpower Availability
- Proven resilience and potential for fast recovery, especially in export and hospitality sectors.
- Sri Lanka ranked 99th among 199 economies in Ease of Doing Business Index.
- Attractive tax rates and exemptions to support various sectors.
- Temporary Distress and Potential to Quickly Recover
- Permits up to 100% foreign ownership in many sectors.
- Investment incentives for projects over US$ 50 Million.
Volunteer Experience
Project BEAP
Project BEAP all started with the Indian Ocean tsunami of 2004. It is a properly constituted charitable organization. Dr. David Young (President of Project BEAP), responded to the urgent needs of the Sri Lankan people following the tsunami. Alongside a group of volunteers, he provided immediate assistance and made a commitment to return to establish an Accident & Emergency Trauma (A&E) Unit.[3] Subsequently, a team of doctors and surgeons approached David Young to build this unit at the Teaching Hospital in Batticaloa. He enlisted Nihal de Run to join the project. Nihal de Run, one of Arj's mentor, appointed Arj as one of the trustees and the treasurer of the BEAP project.
English Classes Initiative
Since November 2022, the Faiszer Musthapha Foundation has operated a learning facility in the Maligawatte area, focusing on English Language Skills. The primary objective is to cultivate a students proficient in fluent English conversation while possessing essential leadership and creativity skills. Presently, there are 513 registered students, with classes held on Sundays from 1.30 pm to 5.30 pm.[4]
The Pink Car Initiative
The Salvation Army Melbourne launched the Pink Car initiative, aimed at enhancing the safety of women participating in Melbourne's nightlife. The Collingwood Football Club purchased the Pink Car with funding from the Office for Women. This vehicle operates on Friday and Saturday nights, ensuring the well-being of young women as they return home.[4]
Charity
Rananjaya Holdings was founded by Arj Samarakoon. It is deeply committed to long-term success, intertwining it with employee welfare, environmental responsibility, and community support. The company actively supports scholarships, women's education, medical assistance, and socially responsible investments. Their practices are transparent and they have a history of donations for community welfare and healthcare.[5]
Donations[6]
- 100 coverall protective suits to Sri Lanka Rifle Corps to be worn at the quarantine centers during Covid (5th August, 2020)
- Donation of safety masks: 500pcs, protective face shield: 10 pcs and hand sprayers: 03 numbers to STF Camp Ambakotte (7th September 2020)
- 50 coverall protective suits to STF Camp Ambakotte to be worn during Covid (9th September 2020)
- Donation of medical equipment and medicines (Costing LKR 2.5M – 5M) to the Peradeniya Hospital medicines during the Sri Lankan economic crisis of mid 2022.
- Donation of USD 20,000 in 2021 for medical equipment at projectbeap.org
References
- ↑ "About Us". Plus94 Fund. Retrieved 2023-10-18.
- ↑ "Why Sri Lanka". Plus94 Fund. Retrieved 2023-10-18.
- ↑ "Completed Projects – Foundation Supporting a National Trauma Service in Sri Lanka". Retrieved 2023-10-18.
- ↑ 4.0 4.1 "Social Responsibility". Kerner Norland. Retrieved 2023-10-19.
- ↑ "Environment". Rananjaya Investments. Retrieved 2023-10-17.
- ↑ "Environment". Rananjaya Investments. Retrieved 2023-10-19.
External links
This article "Arj Samarakoon" is from Wikipedia. The list of its authors can be seen in its historical. Articles taken from Draft Namespace on Wikipedia could be accessed on Wikipedia's Draft Namespace.