Ananda is a professionally qualified engineer holding a Masters Degree in Management of Technology from University of Moratuwa Sri Lanka. He is a fellow of British Institute of Management, Institute of Materials and Minerals and Metals (London) and The Plastics and Rubber Institute of Sri Lanka.

He brings with him over 40 years of working experience in Rubber Industry covering both latex and dry rubber product sector. Ananda has built a national reputation for embedding stakeholder engagement in complex and politically sensitive environments, and for initiating improvements in finances and productivity. His work has been recognized with several national best practice awards and leadership positions on a number of Boards. In recognition of his long outstanding service to the rubber products industry for over 40 years he was appointed for positions such as: Chairman, Rubber sector advisory committee ministry of industry and commerce; Member, Rubber Sector Advisory committee; Export Development Board of Sri Lanka and Director, Sri Lanka Rubber Society, Sri Lanka. In early 2018, the President of Sri Lanka appointed him as a member of the “Industrialization Commission” for a period of 3 years. This committee in engaged in advising the government in industrial policy and industrial development measures. During his first decade of work at Delan Group of Companies as the Group General Manager, he assisted the Technical Director to obtain two key patents. The first patent was for inventing an innovative process to blend waste Polystyrene scrap with natural rubber to manufacture a substitute for imported high styrene resin which are used to manufacture micro cellular rubber sheets in footwear industry. The second patent was for a creative engineering process to manufacture a thin latex sheeting for baby cot sheets and hospital rubber sheets. He then held a top leadership position at a prestigious Sri Lankan company, Associated Motorways Group (AMW) as the Director Manufacturing and served for 25 years. During his employment at AMW he established Sri Lanka’s largest custom mixing facility and introduced Sri Lanka’s first Off The Road Tyre (OTR) retreading using “Hot process”, which resulted in boosting the foreign income and also achieve environmental sustainability objectives through recycling OTR tyres. Also, he led the establishment of joint venture project with CEAT tyres, India to manufacture trude and LT tyres in Sri Lanka using local natural rubber. This operation substituted the need to import additional tyres from overseas resulting significant foreign exchange savings and contributed to maintain the balance of Trade. During his tenure at AMW he successfully negotiated a Joint venture with Autoways, Malaysia and commenced cold process tyre retreading and tread liner manufacturing facility in Sri Lanka and the JV company was named Associated Autoways (Pvt) Ltd, which was a Board of Investment (BOI) approved project. Tread liners made were partially exported earning foreign exchange.

Also above projects created considerable employment opportunities for people facilitating a great social need. During 1987-2012 apart from his service to AMW, he was involved in development of Polymer Science tertiary education and contributed to the rubber industry work force development and capacity building activities. He was a part-time lecturer at the University of Sri Lanka, Katubadda campus (currently known as Moratuwa University) and engaged in development of polymer education courses.

Being a member of the Plastics and Rubber Institute of Sri Lanka (PRISL) since 1978, he held several executive positions and finally became the President of PRISL. Finally, during his presidency, he was able to commence a Graduateship course in Rubber Technology to create opportunities for industrial practitioners to develop their technical skills. This has helped the decision makers in the rubber industry to improve their product quality and process efficiency. In addition to the Graduateship education, The PRISL conducted auxiliary educational programs to technical and supervisory staff at Certificate level and Diploma level. These courses aimed to develop science and technology knowledge of all levels of employees in the industry. These courses gave an immense advantage to all the industrialists to enhance the workmanship, product quality and became more competitive in the international market.