Sri Lanka’s Finance Ministry Secretary Mahinda Siriwardena is expected to take up a senior position at the Asian Development Bank (ADB), marking the next chapter in a distinguished public service career spanning over three decades. The move comes following his retirement from his current role, where he played a central part in guiding Sri Lanka’s economic engagement with international financial institutions.
Siriwardena was a key figure in the administration of the Extended Credit Facility Program negotiated with the International Monetary Fund (IMF), a critical component of Sri Lanka’s economic recovery strategy. His steady leadership was widely credited with maintaining institutional credibility during turbulent financial periods.
Prior to his appointment as Secretary to the Ministry of Finance, Siriwardena served over 30 years at the Central Bank of Sri Lanka, rising through its ranks to become Deputy Governor. He previously held pivotal roles including Assistant Governor and Director of the Economic Research Department—positions that placed him at the heart of Sri Lanka’s economic policymaking.
From July 2017 to October 2019, Siriwardena represented Sri Lanka, India, Bangladesh, and Bhutan as Alternate Executive Director at the IMF, where he participated in high-level financial oversight and regional coordination.
Between October 2010 and April 2015, he also served as Director General of the Department of Monetary Policy and Additional Director General of the Department of National Planning, contributing to Sri Lanka’s macroeconomic framework and long-term development strategy.
Beyond his technical contributions, Siriwardena held numerous board and treasury representative roles in state institutions, including the Bank of Ceylon, National Savings Bank, Sri Lanka Ports Authority, Board of Investment, Export Development Board, Sri Lanka Export Credit Insurance Corporation, and the Vocational Training Authority.
An academic by training, Siriwardena holds a Master’s Degree in Economics and a Postgraduate Diploma in Economic Development from Vanderbilt University in the United States, in addition to a BA (Special) in Economics from the University of Kelaniya.
As he prepares to take on his new role at the Asian Development Bank, his transition underscores a broader theme of continuity and credibility in Sri Lanka’s economic diplomacy. His expertise will now be carried into a regional context, further embedding Sri Lanka’s economic perspectives within multilateral development efforts.
