What Does John Keells Holdings PLC Do?

Total employees1913
HeadquartersColombo 02
Founded1870

John Keells Holdings PLC (JKH) is Sri Lanka's largest listed conglomerate on the Colombo Stock Exchange. With a history spanning over 150 years, JKH has evolved into a diversified business group with significant interests across seven main industry sectors: Transportation, Leisure (Cinnamon Hotels & Resorts), Property, Consumer Foods, Retail (Keells supermarkets), Financial Services (including Nations Trust Bank and Union Assurance PLC), and Information Technology. The group is known for its pioneering spirit, commitment to sustainable development, and significant contribution to the Sri Lankan economy, often acting as a bellwether for the nation's economic health.

Where Is John Keells Holdings PLC's Headquarters?

HQ Function

Serves as the central command for group-wide strategic planning, corporate governance, financial management, human resources, legal, and administrative oversight for all its diverse business sectors.

Notable Features:

A modern, multi-storey corporate office building situated in a prime business location in Colombo. It stands as a symbol of the company's scale and leadership in the Sri Lankan corporate sector and is in close proximity to the group's flagship integrated development, Cinnamon Life Colombo.

Work Culture:

Characterized by professionalism, innovation, and a drive for excellence. It fosters a collaborative environment, encouraging employees to contribute to the conglomerate's growth and adhere to high ethical standards, with a strong emphasis on corporate responsibility and employee development.

HQ Significance:

The headquarters is pivotal as it's the nerve center for managing Sri Lanka's largest and most diversified public listed company, driving national economic contribution, shaping business trends, and housing key decision-making functions.

Values Reflected in HQ: The headquarters embodies JKH's core values of integrity, excellence, innovation, customer focus, and accountability, showcased through its strategic location, modern infrastructure, and role as a hub for national economic activity and corporate leadership.

Location:

John Keells Holdings primarily operates in Sri Lanka and the Maldives. In Sri Lanka, it supports a vast array of functions across its seven sectors including transportation logistics (sea and air freight, port operations), hotel management (city hotels and resorts), property development (residential, commercial, retail), food and beverage manufacturing and distribution, supermarket retail operations, banking and insurance services, and information technology solutions. Its international presence is most prominent in the Maldives through its Cinnamon Hotels & Resorts chain. Additionally, its IT services (John Keells IT) and some aspects of its transportation and logistics businesses cater to international clients and markets, extending its reach beyond South Asia.

Street Address:

117, Sir Chittampalam A Gardiner Mawatha

City:

Colombo 02

State/Province:

Western Province

Country:

Sri Lanka

Where Else Does John Keells Holdings PLC Operate Around the World?

Colombo, Sri Lanka

Address: John Keells IT, Level 10, #46/4, Braybrooke Place, Colombo 02, Sri Lanka

Strategically located in Colombo to leverage Sri Lanka's growing IT talent pool and infrastructure, this office supports JKH's diversification into the technology sector and enhances its global service delivery capabilities. It also serves internal IT needs of the JKH group.

Buying Intent Signals for John Keells Holdings PLC

Highperformr Signals uncover buying intent and give you clear insights to target the right accounts at the right time — helping your sales, marketing, and GTM teams close more deals, faster.

Notable news
Hiring actively
Corporate Finance
Corporate Finance
Corporate Finance
Corporate Finance
Corporate Finance
*Example signal, not calculated in real time

Who's Leading John Keells Holdings PLC? Meet the Executive Team

As of April 2025, John Keells Holdings PLC' leadership includes:

Krishan Balendra - Chairperson and Chief Executive Officer
Gihan Cooray - Deputy Chairperson and Group Finance Director
Suresh Rajendra - President - Leisure Group
Daminda Gamlath - President - Consumer Foods Sector
Zafir Hashim - President - Transportation Sector & Head of Group Digital Transformation
Nayana Mawilmada - President - Property Sector
Charitha Subasinghe - President - Retail Sector
Nishan Dissanayake - President - Information Technology Sector & Chief Information Officer

Who's Investing in John Keells Holdings PLC?

John Keells Holdings PLC has been backed by several prominent investors over the years, including:

S.E. Captain (and related entities)
Broga Hill Investments Limited
Melstacorp PLC
Employees' Provident Fund of Sri Lanka
Norges Bank Investment Management
Aberdeen Standard Investments (various funds)
Employees Trust Fund Board (Sri Lanka)

What Leadership Changes Has John Keells Holdings PLC Seen Recently?

Hire1
Exits1

Executive changes at John Keells Holdings in the recent period primarily involved board-level appointments and retirements as detailed in company disclosures and annual reports. The core senior management team leading various sectors has demonstrated stability, focusing on navigating market dynamics and driving growth initiatives.

Departures

Mr. Premila Perera, Mr. Premila Perera retired from his position on the Board upon completion of his term as per company policy for independent directors.

New Appointments:

Ms. Sharmini Ratwatte, Ms. Sharmini Ratwatte joined the Board, contributing her extensive experience in finance, risk management, and corporate governance to the conglomerate.

What Technology (Tech Stack) Is Used byJohn Keells Holdings PLC?

Discover the tools John Keells Holdings PLC uses. Highperformr reveals the technologies powering your target accounts — helping your sales, marketing, and GTM teams prioritize smarter and close faster.

John Keells Holdings PLC Email Formats and Examples

John Keells Holdings (JKH) and its group companies primarily use the @keells.com domain for their email communications. While variations might exist across the large conglomerate due to its diverse sectors and history, a common and discernible pattern is based on employee names. The most frequently observed format is the employee's first name followed by their last initial.

[first_name][last_initial]@keells.com

Format

johnd@keells.com

Example

80%

Success rate

What's the Latest News About John Keells Holdings PLC?

Daily Mirror Sri LankaMay 16, 2024

John Keells Holdings posts Rs.6.1bn March quarter earnings; FY24 bottom line surges to Rs.17.3bn

John Keells Holdings PLC (JKH) announced strong financial results for its fourth quarter ending March 31, 2024, with consolidated revenue of Rs.80.67 billion and a profit after tax (PAT) of Rs.6.11 billion. For the full financial year FY2023/24, JKH reported a significant increase in PAT to Rs.17.30 billion, driven by robust performances across its key sectors, particularly Leisure, Consumer Foods, and Transportation, amidst improving economic conditions in Sri Lanka....more

Colombo Stock ExchangeFebruary 7, 2024

John Keells Holdings PLC Reports Strong Q3 Performance with Recurring PBT of Rs. 6.85 Billion

JKH reported a recurring Group PBT of Rs.6.85 billion for Q3 2023/24, a 29% increase year-on-year. The Leisure sector saw significant growth, and the Consumer Foods and Retail sectors also showed strong performance. Transportation PBT increased due to better performance in the Group's bunkering and ports and shipping businesses....more

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