Mohan Wikramanayake, Business & Development Specialist

4624 Reservoir Road, N.W.,
Washington, D.C.20007,USA
Phone & Fax: +1 202 337 1438 / 21 Rotunda Gardens,
Colombo 3,Sri Lanka
Phone: +94 11 232 0960

SUMMARY OF EXPERIENCE:

Key areas of technical expertise include: identifying and developing business opportunities in a discrete market; small and medium (SME) enterprise promotion and funding; project structuring and funding; large company outsourcing to SMEs; project design, appraisal, monitoring and evaluation; organisational development; training and capacity building.
In-depth knowledge and understanding of the success factors for business operations at the enterprise and national levels.
Particular capabilities in dealing with investments, restructuring and recovery include:

-Investment: use of equity, loan and other financial instruments for funding private enterprise.

-Administration of disbursed portfolio: regular review of projects, loss reserve provisions and restructuring.

-Project restructuring: determining reasons for default, working with lender and borrower to restructure projects; realigning capital structures, management, technical and market arrangements, sponsor relationships and loan covenants.

-Recovery: from private entities and commercialized government enterprises.

More than three decades working in long-term positions and as a short-term consultant across Africa, Asia and America.
Twenty one years as a senior manager leading country and regional teams and operations for the International Finance Corporation (IFC) of the World Bank Group.
Evaluationof the governance,management, competitiveness and financial strength of manufacturing, service and financial institutions, and the economic and regulatory environment in which they operate.Implementing remedial measures where appropriate.
Proven track record at leading and managing multi-disciplinary teams in appraising, negotiating and closing major project financings. Skilled in carrying out high-level project, policy and financing negotiations and building consensus. Concluded the financing of large trans-national business transactions in India, Pakistan, Indonesia, and Nigeria.
Extensive capacity building experience: provided training in project identification, design and structuring and evaluation, assessment of project sponsors, financial structuring, post-disbursement project monitoring (including the identification of marketing and operational constraints), restructuring and loan recovery. I have worked closely with business associations and governments to strengthen the business environment in India, Nigeria and other Sub-Saharan African countries.
Wide-ranging networks, good relationships and credible reputation among senior government, the business community and financial institutions in South Asia and sub-Saharan Africa. RepresentingIFCand DFCC on the Board of several companies.
Established track-record in working with local, national and multi-national businesses, commercial banks, and international development agencies and financial institutions.

POSITIONS HELD:

2001- date:Independent consultant

1998-2001: Chief Investment Officer for Sub-Saharan Africa Department, International Finance Corporation (IFC)

1991-97: Resident Representative in Nigeria, International Finance Corporation (IFC)

1989-91: Resident Representative in South Asia, International Finance Corporation (IFC)

1985-89: Divisional Manager for Bangladesh, Maldives, Pakistan and Sri Lanka, International Finance Corporation (IFC)

1979-95: Senior Investment Officer, Asia Department, International Finance Corporation (IFC)

1977-79: Financial Analyst, Asian Development Bank

1970-79: Assistant General Manager, New Investment Operations, Development Finance Corporation of Ceylon (DFCC)

EDUCATION:

1961LLB (Attorney at Law), University of Peradeniya, Sri Lanka

1967Post Graduate Diploma in Management, University of Glasgow, UK

1970MBA, George Washington University, USA

1999Corporate Finance Module, Harvard Business School, USA

2000Infrastructure in a Market Economy, KennedySchool, Harvard University, USA

COUNTRIES:

Bangladesh, Ghana, India, Indonesia, Kenya, Malawi, Maldives, Namibia, Nepal, Nigeria, Pakistan, South Africa, Sri Lanka, Tanzania, Uganda, United States of America,Zimbabwe.

POSITIONS HELD:

2001– date: / Independent Consultant
Working as a senior advisor and technical expert for public and private sector projects across the United States, Africa and Asia (see consultancy details below).
1998-2001: / Chief Investment Officer Sub-Saharan Africa Department
International Finance Corporation (IFC)
In charge of administering IFC’s disbursed portfolio in Eastern and Southern Africa. Specific tasks and responsibilities included:

Leading and managing country and regional teams
Overseeing quarterly performance reviews of each project in the IFC portfolio
Providing loss reserve recommendations
Restructuring and recovery of projects in jeopardy
Member of IFC Loan Committee (Decision Meetings) for Sub-Saharan Africa

1991-97: / Resident Representative in Nigeria
International Finance Corporation (IFC)
In charge of IFC’s country program and team in Nigeria. This involved administering the Africa Enterprise Fund Program, through which IFC made equity investments and provided loans of between US$100,000 and US$1 million to domestic SMEs in diverse sectors, including agribusiness, healthcare, tourism, general manufacturing, transportation, lubricant blending and oil field services. This work required assessing which enterprises were appropriate for an area; locating and vetting business persons; assisting in project formulation and financial structuring; appraising the project and making recommendations for financing.Where necessary and appropriate, assistance was also provided to these enterprises to establish relationships with commercial banks and obtain government approvals.
Specific tasks, responsibilities and achievements included:

Guiding the formulation of country strategies for IFC’s work in Nigeria
Playing a lead role in major economic and financial sector reforms
Identifying and promoting new business for IFC
Leading on high-level negotiation and interactions with Nigerian government and business community, donor agencies, national and international investors
Managing the country staffing base.
Assisting in the preparation, funding and supervisionand funding of large natural resource projects
Identifying, supporting and funding SME projects, their restructuring and recovery
Assisting commercial banks, to increase their product range and extend medium and long-term credit to SMEs
Building the capacity of local staff and the staff of financial institution.

1989-91: / Resident Representative in South Asia
International Finance Corporation (IFC)
Representing IFC in South Asia, working out of New Delhi. In charge of IFC’s programs in India, Bangladesh, Maldives, Nepal and Sri Lanka,
Specific tasks, responsibilities and achievements included:

StabilizedIFC’s relationship with the Government of India, financial institutions and the private sector
Identifying and promoting new business for IFC
Increasing IFC’s investments in India to about US$350 million during my tenure
Increasing the size of IFC’s portfolio in Bangladesh and Sri Lanka
Worked with Indian Government officials on their blueprint to deregulate the economy.

1985-89: / Divisional Manager for Bangladesh, Maldives, Pakistan and Sri Lanka
International Finance Corporation (IFC)
Reporting to the Director of the Department, frontline responsibility for IFC’s investment operations in these countries.
Specific tasks, responsibilities and achievements included:

Developing country strategies for IFC’s work in the four countries
Taking a lead role in country relations with governments, the business and financial sectors. and negotiations
Promoting new business
Managing and guiding the work of six investment officers, assigning specific appraisal tasks, and coordinating the work of appraisal teams which included engineers, economists and environmentalists and attorneys; clearance of appraisal and review reports for submission to senior management
Managing the disbursed portfolio, rescheduling and restructuring.

1979-95: / Senior Investment Officer, Asia Department
International Finance Corporation (IFC)
The IFC investment office was responsible for the appraisal of projects with the assistance of technical specialists. Post field visits, the investment office was responsible for financial analysis of projects, compilation of the report, clearing it with technical colleagues and its substance with the client and submitting the report for management approval.Thereafter, the investment officer negotiated the deal with the clients prior to IFC Board submission.
Specific tasks, responsibilities and achievements included:

Appraising, negotiatingand closing the first financing for IFC in India in twenty years, with India’s then largest private sector company
Financing two major natural gas projects in Pakistan, with project costs exceeding US$500 million
Concluding several other financing arrangements in diverse sectors in India, Indonesia and Bangladesh
Working with international commercial banks as participants in IFC projects

1977-79: / Financial Analyst
Asian Development Bank (through Resources Development Consultants Ltd. Sri Lanka, on leave from DFCC)
Member of multidisciplinary consultant team advising ADB on two agro based projects: in Myanmar (then Burma) and in Sri Lanka.
Specific tasks, responsibilities and achievements included:

Financial Analyst for the Burma Rice Processing Industries project. The objective was to assess the state of the rice milling industry and prepare a project for ADB funding.
Financial Analyst for the Tree Crops Project in Sri Lanka. The objective was to assess the state of the Tea industry in Sri Lanka and prepare a project for ADB funding.

1970-79: / Assistant General Manager, New Investment Operations
Development Finance Corporation of Ceylon (DFCC)
Initially as a senior loan officer, and then as the Assistant General manager for all new investment operations of the Corporation. responsible for the identification, appraisal, financial analysis and Board presentation of projects in general manufacturing; healthcare, hotel and tourism and other sectors.
Specific achievements included:

With the technical assistance of the Asian Development Bank, established within DFCC a new unit dedicated to the funding of small and –medium scale enterprises (SME)
Together with the relevant government department, established a funding definition for SMEs and developed simplified procedures for accessing and funding such enterprises. This was the first effort at providing project financing to SMEs and was the forerunner of SME funding in Sri Lanka, which is today, a major success story
The tourism industry was taking off in Sri Lanka in the mid-seventies. Working closely with the Tourist Board I developed new sites with potential for tourism; encouraged private entrepreneurs and companies that had not hitherto invested in this sector to invest in hotels, and funded over fifteen projects in various parts of the country, thereby establishing a tourist circuit
Worked with international organizations in funding industrial and tourism projects
Represented DFCC on the boards of several invested companies

CONSULTANCIES:

2005 to dateFounder and Chairman of the Colombo Consultants and Management Group (Pvt.) Ltd. (CCMG). CCMG is a multidisciplinary consultancy company which undertakes domestic and international projects.As Chairman, I lead on organisational and strategic development for CCMG, oversee the preparation of bids and proposals, manage consultants and assure quality control. In addition to advising three private sector companies in the tree crops and general manufacturing areas, CCMG completed an Asian Development Bank advisory to the Water Board of Sri Lanka in collaboration with IDP of the Philippines; and is providing the team leader and five consultants for a donor’s audit of Tsunami assistance for the Asian Development. This project is in collaboration with PriceWaterhouse Sri Lanka.I participate in the private sector advisories, and provide oversight and direction to ensure the quality of our output for the other projects.

Nov 05 – Jan 06:Financial markets assessment, Ghana, Nigeria(Computer Frontiers/US Trade Development Agency).Lead of Definitional Mission for the United States Trade Development Agency to the Nigerian and Ghana Stock Exchanges to assess their operations and technology requirements.Developed a proposal for integration of the financial markets of Nigeria and Ghana.

Jan 03 –Feb 04:Senior Associate (the Whitaker Group, WashingtonDC). Assisted the owner to establish and get running a premier consultancy company which provides trade promotion and represents foreign government in the USA.My work included the preparation of country studies for trade promotion,and briefs for overseas delegations for their meetings with US Government officials.

2003-2005Business, Organisational and Financing Adviser, Nigeria and Sri Lanka (multiple organisations).Working with a variety of large and small private companies, providing guidance on business strategy, organizational development, project restructuring, and re-negotiation of credit facilities with financial institutions.