Dushyantha Perera

Dushyantha is a Partner and Head of Corporate & Commercial Law at the firm.

Background & expertise

He specialises in advising on complex transactional and deal advisory matters, including inbound & outbound FDI, M&A, business and asset sales, joint ventures, capital market matters, public-private partnerships, corporate restructurings, PE & VC financing, corporate finance and power & energy projects, and is consistently recognised as one of Sri Lanka’s leading corporate lawyers by international legal directories such as Legal 500, Chambers & Partners, Asialaw and IFLR1000.

Dushyantha has over 16 years of experience practicing law in both Sri Lanka and Singapore, including with the Stephenson Harwood (Singapore) Alliance as a cross-border corporate and ship financing lawyer while also managing its employment law practice. He returned to Sri Lanka and joined Sudath Perera Associates in 2017.

His academic qualifications include an LLB Hons degree from the University of Nottingham (UK) and an LLM in International Trade Law from the University of Wales. Dushyantha is qualified as an Attorney-at-Law of the Supreme Court of Sri Lanka.

Notable matters

• The sale of the majority stake in Hapugastenna Plantations Plc and Udapussellawa Plantations Plc, two of Sri Lanka’s largest listed plantation companies, by the UK headquartered James Finlays group
https://www.ft.lk/top-story/BIL-to-brew-more-tea-128-year-Finlays-exits-planting/26-728125
• Malaysia’s Exim Bank Berhad, as financier to Hyrax Oil Sdn. Bhd., on its establishment of a US$30Mn lubricants blending plant under a PPP arrangement with the Ceylon Petroleum Corporation
https://lmd.lk/local-lubricant-blending-plant/
• The former PwC Sri Lanka and Maldives firms, on accession to the Deloitte professional services network
https://www.reuters.com/business/finance/deloitte-expands-pwc-maldives-sri-lanka-network-firms-exit-memo-2023-10-10/
• Vestas A/S, as EPC contractor for the 104Mw, ADB funded, wind power project in Mannar, Sri Lanka
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Thambapavani_Wind_Farm
• Exterminators Plc, on its IPO on the Colombo Stock Exchange
https://www.dailymirror.lk/print/business-news/Exterminators-IPO-oversubscribed-on-opening-day/273-233093
• Luminex Plc, on its IPO on the Colombo Stock Exchange
https://www.ft.lk/Front-Page/Luminex-IPO-oversubscribed/44-735694
• Unifeeder FZCO, part of DP World Dubai, on a corporate restructuring of its Sri Lankan business operations
https://www.dailymirror.lk/print/business-news/Senior-shipping-personality-appointed-as-Unifeeder-Lanka-MD/273-258606
• 3M, on its exit from direct operations in Sri Lanka and the appointment of master distributors for the market
https://economynext.com/sri-lankas-sunshine-gets-3m-healthcare-agency-10808
https://www.mll.lk/3m-global-channel-services-appoints-mclarens-group-as-master-distributor/
• Direct Seafood USA, on its strategic partnership with Taprobane Seafoods Sri Lanka
https://www.ft.lk/front-page/Taprobane-Seafoods-and-Direct-Source-Seafood-USA-announce-strategic-partnership/44-749180
• The US headquartered Execo Group, on its acquisition of TES providers Cacti Legal, Bandalier and Africa AI
https://legaltechnology.com/2024/08/08/new-gen-ai-alsp-execo-partners-with-contractpodai/
• Scan Global Logistics, on its entry into the Sri Lankan market
https://sundaytimes.lk/online/business/SCAN-GLOBAL-LOGISTICS-PUT-THE-FOOTPRINT-IN-SRI-LANKA/10-1139240
• Circularity Capital LLP, as Sri Lankan legal counsel, on its PE investment into the UK headquartered Cocogreen group of companies
https://www.privateequitywire.co.uk/circularity-capital-supports-cocogreen-growth-capital-investment/

Academic & professional qualifications, memberships, associations and accreditations

In addition to being a life member of the Bar Association of Sri Lanka (BASL), he is actively involved in the Inter-Pacific Bar Association (and is a former Vice-President of its Next-Gen Committee). He is also a former Executive Committee member of the Sri Lanka Singapore Business Council (SLSBC) of the Ceylon Chamber of Commerce.

Accolades & recognition

• The A List (Sri Lanka) – Asia Business Law Journal 2022
• Lawyer of the Year (Sri Lanka) – Asialaw Awards 2021

Publications

• Co-author, Sri Lanka chapter, “Shareholders’ Rights & Shareholder Activism 2023” – Chambers & Partners.
•Author, “Is Sri Lanka really open for business?” – Daily FT (2020).