The name “Nandana Jayadewa Lokuwithana” is familiar to the tongues of those in Sri Lanka, and even to those in the Middle East- his reputation? being a businessman who had accumulated multi-million dollars in investments.
Beginning his journey of being an entrepreneur in the Middle East, Mr. Nandana Lokuwithana has managed to spread his business ventures in the UAE, and then brought them to his motherland, Sri Lanka, as well.
However, while the news of his success is known to all, what is seldom spoken about is the obstacles that the Chairman had to face on his way towards the top.
Nandana Lokuwithana was not born in the urban areas of the country that bustled with the developing industrial life that was taking over, but instead, he was born in the quiet lands of Madawachchiya- a simple village in the town of Anuradhapura; often overlooked by many.
Being the firstborn in a family of 5 brothers, Nandana Lokuwithana had the sense of responsibility instilled in him from a young age. Not having been placed in the lap of luxury, he had experienced the struggle to maintain financial stability and support the basic needs of a family, all while making sure that they were still able to lead normal lives as children should.
Today’s Chairman received his primary education in the village school, which happened to be under the guidance of his father; who was the principal at the time. Some could gather that this was where he gained his leadership qualities from; for even though the body of the school was not impressive in mass, it was being led with diligence and care to each individual student- features that would soon appear in his own future.
Being deprived of the chance to complete his A/Ls due to the ethnic conflict prevailing in the area at the time, Nandana Lokuwithana made his way to Colombo in the late 1980s with the dream of becoming an engineer up his sleeve. However, his working experience began in the textile industry.
It was here, after some time, that he was offered the post of Assistant Administrative Officer in the UAE for an American Textile company, and it was one he took. Thus, in 1989, Nandana Lokuwithana moved to the UAE; where the more well-known parts of his story begin.
Stepping into Sharjah after stepping out of Madawachchiya would come as a culture shock to many; here was a city bustling with life, opportunities for investments lying around every bend- whereas the village was limited and restricted- so much so that life beyond it became unimaginable.
Coming from the village to such a contrasting environment, one would’ve expected the younger Nandana Lokuwithana to fail and eventually return home, but he did exactly the opposite; which is why he is the businessman we know today. He climbed the corporate ladder, from Production Manager to Factory Manager to Company Director to being the General Manager of the company.
Soon, he founded his very own garment factory in the UAE, employing over 400 workers; the responsibility for which he eventually handed over to his brother, Dhammika Lokuwithana.
In 2004, he founded the Onyx Industries FZC in Sharjah, UAE which capitalized on the construction opportunities that sprang as a result of the Sharjah Airport International Free Zone, by offering rapid and rigorous solutions that this specific industrial zone demanded: steel fabrication, profile manufacture, engineering services and logistic services. This became his most well-known venture.
Riding on that success subsidiary companies Onyx Building Systems and Onyx Electronic Services followed. In 2007, Nilona Holdings was founded to provide property management services and commercial development of real estate.
In 2008, a Management Agreement was signed between Marriot Chain of Hotels, USA and the Real-estate arm of Nilona Holdings that owned and constructed the 8 story 5 Star Dubai Marriott Al Jaddaff Hotel and the 25 story Marriott Executive Apartments at a highly patronized address; still offering stiff competition to the flourishing hotel sector in Dubai, which already has a claim on the world’s highest hotel occupancy rate. The investment was said to be around 230 million USD, and made Mr. Nandana Lokuwithana the first Sri Lankan to build and own a five-star hotel overseas.
In the light of all of his success, the patriot in Nandana Lokuwithana causes him to hoist the national flag of Sri Lanka in the Middle Eastern airs on his hotel premises, only otherwise being hung in the Sri Lankan Embassy itself. The Chairman created a new impression of Sri Lankans in the Middle East to contrast the stereotype of being worthy of only positions as housemaids and not the owners of luxury hotels.
During the 30 year war of Sri Lanka, former president Mahinda Rajapakse reached out to Mr. Nandana Lokuwithana at a meeting for the Sri Lankan entrepreneurs, requesting his help in his plan towards reviving the country economically by investing in the once failing Ceylon Steel Corporation Limited.
Thus, with the mindset of helping his country out of the rut, Mr. Nandana Lokuwithana took over CSCL in 2009 and runs it to this date. The factory was completely revamped and equipped with state-of-the-art ultra-modern technology that would produce the highest quality steel products. The company was resurrected and is today known as the leaders of the steel industry in Sri Lanka.
After additionally becoming the Chairman of MA Steel, Mr. Nandana Lokuwithana began the construction for a tyre manufacturing plant set to open in 2020, under his venture Rigid Tyre Corporation. The plant would produce tyres that were up to international standards, with their manufacturing assets having been acquired from the renowned producers, Marangoni; thus paving the way for Sri Lanka to enter the market with export worthy tyres, and creating new opportunities to attract foreign direct investments into the country.
Had today’s Chairman constrained his life to the limitations of his village, and had he not been led to Colombo, and taken the chance to work in a whole new environment that was once unfathomable to him; he would not be the businessman he is today.
Nandana Jayadewa Lokuwithana, a name familiar to the tongues of many; as aforementioned- to those in need of a story of self-preservation, determination, and perseverance.
