Renowned chartered accountant and corporate leader Rajan Asirwatham, who served as the Senior Partner and Country Head of KPMG Sri Lanka for more than four decades, has passed away.

Mr. Asirwatham led KPMG, formerly Ford Rhodes Thornton & Co., from 1961 to 2008, guiding its transformation from an audit-focused firm into a diversified professional services organisation. Under his leadership, KPMG Sri Lanka secured and retained representation on the global firm’s Middle East and South Asia boards, an achievement unmatched by many larger offices in the region.

Throughout his illustrious career, Mr. Asirwatham held several key positions that shaped Sri Lanka’s financial and corporate landscape. His roles included:

• Chairman, Bank of Ceylon

• Chairman, Institute of Taxation

• Chairman, Finance Services Stability Committee – Central Bank of Sri Lanka

• Member, Presidential Commission on Taxation

• Chairman, Audit Committee – Institute of Chartered Accountants of Sri Lanka

• Member, University of Colombo Council

• Member, Advisory Council of the Ceylon Chamber of Commerce

He also served as a director of numerous listed and private-sector companies, including Aitken Spence PLC, CIC Holdings PLC, Mercantile Merchant Bank Ltd., Dankotuwa Porcelain Ltd., Browns Beach Hotels PLC, and several others. His contributions extended to education as well, sitting on the boards of S. Thomas’ College, Bishop’s College, and Trinity College.

A Fellow Member of the Institute of Chartered Accountants of Sri Lanka, Mr. Asirwatham was the first Chairman of the Faculty of Taxation, serving in the role for more than a decade. He was a respected writer and speaker, contributing to national conferences, budget seminars, and regional accounting forums, including the South Asian Federation of Accountants Conference in Chennai.

Beyond the corporate sphere, he chaired the Steering Committee for the World Bank–funded Sustainable Tourism Project, playing a significant role in sectoral development.

Mr. Asirwatham leaves behind a legacy defined by leadership, integrity, and a lifetime of service to the accounting profession and Sri Lanka’s business community.