About Us
Learn about our company’s history, values, mission & Leadership
Conglomerate with a Wide Range of Operations: Today, the Acorn Group proudly encompasses a broad spectrum of operations, showcasing its versatility and adaptability in the business landscape. Our operations span across various sectors, including travel, aviation (in Sri Lanka, Maldives, and Thailand), hotel and villa management, business management, education, pharmaceuticals, freight and logistics, management consulting, and investments. This diverse portfolio allows us to cater to a multitude of industry needs, providing comprehensive and integrated solutions.
As part of the Acorn Group, AIB represents the newest venture under the Acorn Group umbrella. As part of this dynamic conglomerate, AIB is committed to delivering exceptional insurance brokerage services. Leveraging the collective expertise and resources of the Acorn Group, we strive to provide tailored insurance solutions that meet the specific requirements of our clients.
AIB is proud to be a part of the Acorn Group, a distinguished conglomerate that has rapidly grown since its inception in 2020. The Acorn Group came into existence through a management buyout of the travel and aviation businesses previously owned by the Hemas Group. Today, the Acorn Group has expanded its horizons, establishing a diverse portfolio of operations in various industries.
Acorn Group’s Journey: The Acorn Group embarked on its journey as a promising conglomerate and has quickly evolved into a dynamic force within multiple sectors. Initially rooted in travel and aviation, the group has since diversified its interests and now encompasses an array of industries.
Our Values
Integrity
We uphold the highest ethical standards in all our interactions. We are committed to transparency, honesty, and trustworthiness in every aspect of our business.
Client-Centric Approach
Our clients are at the heart of everything we do. We strive to understand their unique needs and provide tailored insurance solutions that offer the best protection and value.
Expertise and Knowledge
We continuously invest in our team’s professional development to ensure they possess the expertise and knowledge necessary to navigate the complex insurance landscape. We aim to provide our clients with accurate information and educated guidance.
Accountability
We take responsibility for our actions and deliver on our promises. We are dedicated to providing timely and efficient service, taking ownership of any challenges that may arise and finding solutions to meet our clients’ needs.
Innovation
We embrace innovation and leverage technology to enhance our processes and improve the overall client experience. We strive to stay ahead of industry trends and provide cutting-edge solutions to address emerging risks.
Mission Statement
At Acorn Insurance Brokers, our mission is to be the trusted insurance partner for individuals and businesses, offering comprehensive, customized, and cost-effective insurance solutions. We aim to provide exceptional service, leveraging our expertise, industry knowledge, and extensive network of insurance carriers to deliver peace of mind and financial security to our clients. Through our client-centric approach, we strive to build long-lasting relationships based on integrity, transparency, and a commitment to exceeding expectations. Our mission is to protect what matters most to our clients, empowering them to face the future with confidence.
Board of Directors
Darshana Perera
Darshana has over 20 years of experience in Finance, Operations, Strategy, and general management across a variety of industries including Travel & Aviation, Manufacturing, Telecommunication, IT Enabled Services and Apparel. He is a Fellow Member of the Institute of Chartered Accountants of Sri Lanka, an Associate of the Chartered Institute of Management Accountants and Institute of Professional Managers. He holds an MBA specialized in Finance from the University of Colombo. Darshana started his career at Ernst & Young and subsequently worked for John Keells Holdings PLC, Dialog Axiata PLC and Brandix Group in various capacities. He joined Hemas Holdings PLC in 2014 in the capacity of Group Financial Controller and was the Director Finance of the Leisure Travel & Aviation Group, until March 2020. Darshana was also a Board Member of several listed and non-listed subsidiaries of the Hemas Group, during his tenure.
Harith Perera
Harith has a wealth of experience in Sales, Marketing, Branding and Finance. Having joined Hemas FMCG in 1997 he was subsequently part of the team launching Diethelm Travel in Sri Lanka & Maldives in 2006 where he functioned as the Managing Director until 2018. He is a Member of the Chartered Institute of Marketing, UK and has an MBA from the University of Southern Queensland, Australia. Harith is the immediate Past President of Sri Lanka Association of Inbound Tour Operators (SLAITO) and a former Board member of the Sri Lanka Tourism Promotions Bureau (SLTPB). He is also a founder member of the Tourism Alliance of Sri Lanka.
Dushy Jayaweera
Dushy Jayaweera has over 38 years in the Aviation Industry and leads the Aviation Cluster of the Group which represents both on-line and off-line airlines. Having joined Hemas Air Services 1994, she has played a key role in the formation of the Aviation Centre and expanding the business overseas by setting up the two regional offices in Thailand and the Maldives. She is also the Managing Director of Aviation Services (Pvt) Ltd in the Maldives and a Director of LTU Asia Aviation Services Ltd, Thailand. Dushy has played a key role in all Industry related Associations and is a Past President of the Sri Lanka Association of Airline Representatives, Skål International Colombo, the Sri Lanka-Malaysia Business Council and the Travel Trade Sports Club of Sri Lanka. She is currently a Director of the Skal Asian Area overlooking Membership Development and an Executive Committee member of the Sri Lanka – Italy Business Council.
Suranjith De Fonseka
Having previously played a key role in Sales and Marketing at Serendib Leisure Hotels and Hemas LTA sector, Suranjith currently leads Diethelm Travel Sri Lanka & Maldives teams. He holds a B.A. with Honors in Business Administration from Nottingham Trent University (UK), has an MBA from the Postgraduate Institute of Management of the University of Sri Jayewardenepura, and is a Chartered Marketer. Suranjith also participated in executive education programs at INSEAD, Cornell Nanyang University and the Indian School of Business. He is a committee member of the Travel Trade Sports Club and a member of Skål International Colombo.
Meet our experienced team of insurance professionals
Ravi Sumithraarachchi
Principal Officer
Ravindra has a rich and vast experience of over 30 years in the insurance industry of Sri Lanka, with highly specific expertise on general insurance, particularly motor and marine insurance.
His career in the insurance industry kick-started at Union Assurance PLC in 1986 and rose up in ranks to be the Senior Manager of the Motor department, UA General.
After retirement from his career in 2016, he worked as an IT Consultant for Fairfirst Insurance Ltd. He provided his expertise as a Business Consultant to kerk Solutions (Pvt) Ltd,local partner of Khutzi Technology, Australia and also joined Continental Insurance Lanka Limited as Head of Motor Insurance.
He has been a lecturer at the Sri Lanka Insurance Institute of Sri Lanka for more than 05 years and counting.
Shashika Gunawardena
General Manager
Shashika is a qualified insurance professional at Chartered Insurance Institute UK and MBA holder of University of Wales Trinity Saint David UK. Mr. Gunawardena, joining the industry as a young acolyte at Union Assurance (UA) Ltd (currently known as Fairfirst Insurance), as an insurance assistant in 2004 and he rose rapidly among the rank and file of the UA, leading an illustrious career, which culminated as Senior Executive – Motor Underwriting Department. Venturing overseas, he worked in the United Arab Emirates (UAE) as Manager Technical – Reinsurance for a couple of years before he left UAE for further studies. During his master degree period, he chose to work for one of the software development companies (insurance related) and worked for a few multinational insurance broking companies to gain overall broking experience. With over 18 years of experience in the insurance industry, his career continues to thrive.