Dushyantha Perera

Dushyantha is a Partner and Head of Corporate & Commercial Law at the firm, where he leads high-value, complex transactions and strategic advisory mandates for domestic and international clients across a wide range of industries.

Background & expertise

With almost two decades of experience practising law in both Sri Lanka and Singapore, Dushyantha is widely recognised for his expertise in sophisticated cross-border transactional and deal advisory work. His practice spans inbound and outbound foreign direct investment (FDI), mergers and acquisitions, business and asset disposals, joint ventures, capital markets transactions, public-private partnerships (PPPs), corporate restructurings, private equity and venture capital financing, corporate finance, data privacy and power and energy projects. He regularly advises multinational corporations, private equity funds, financial institutions, family offices, and leading Sri Lankan conglomerates on structuring, negotiating, and executing complex commercial transactions and dealing with non-contentious regulatory compliance matters.

Dushyantha is consistently ranked as one of Sri Lanka’s leading corporate lawyers by top international legal directories, including Legal 500, Chambers & Partners, Asialaw, and IFLR1000, reflecting both his technical excellence and strong commercial judgement.

Prior to returning to Sri Lanka, Dushyantha practised in Singapore with the Stephenson Harwood (Singapore) Alliance, where he advised on cross-border corporate transactions and ship financing matters involving Asia-Pacific, Europe, and the Middle East. He also managed the firm’s employment law practice, gaining extensive experience in corporate governance, regulatory compliance, and workforce strategy. He returned in 2017 and joined Sudath Perera Associates, where he has played a key role in further developing and leading the firm’s Corporate & Commercial practice.

Beyond his client work, Dushyantha actively contributes to national-level governance and policy reform. He serves as a member of the Steering Committee on Legislation & Governance of the Ceylon Chamber of Commerce (www.chamber.lk), contributing to dialogue and reform initiatives relating to corporate regulation and governance in Sri Lanka. In 2024, he was appointed as a Member of the Committee established by the Ministry of Education, Science and Technology for the development of a data-sharing policy for Sri Lankan Government institutions, reflecting his engagement with digital governance, regulatory modernisation, and public sector reform. He also leads the firm’s engagement as honorary legal counsel for SLASSCOM (www.slasscom.lk), advising on regulatory, policy, and governance matters impacting Sri Lanka’s technology and knowledge services sector.

Dushyantha holds an LLB (Hons) from the University of Nottingham (UK) and an LLM in International Trade Law from the University of Wales. He is an Attorney-at-Law of the Supreme Court of Sri Lanka.

Notable matters

• The merger of the Calcey Technologies and Surge Global groups, to create ‘Short Circuit’, a US$40Mn Singapore-headquartered multinational technology services group, with operations in North America, South & South-East Asia and EMEA (https://www.sundaytimes.lk/250803/education/hnb-backs-40m-surge-calcey-merger-to-launch-short-circuit-607178.html).
• The US$7.5Mn+ joint venture between Varun Beverages Ltd of India, and the UAE-headquartered Everest Industrial group, for the manufacturing and export of commercial coolers and refrigeration equipment in South Asia (https://economictimes.indiatimes.com/news/company/corporate-trends/varun-beverages-to-acquire-50-stake-of-sri-lankas-everest-industrial-for-3-75-mn/articleshow/121266175.cms?from=mdr).
• 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).