Mr. Mallory E. Wijesinghe, often described as "God Father" of the private sector in Sri Lanka over the last few decades, bade his final farewell, on 27th December, 2002. In keeping with his wishes, the body was cremated the very next day and inspite of being a private funeral of sorts, the huge gathering present on this day at kanatte was a testimony for a great life, well lived. A gracious and sociable man of the highest quality, he was acclaimed as a pioneer in many ventures and was the architect of many a trade chamber in Sri Lanka. His deep commitment particularly for the development of the private sector and the principle of free enterprise was that of a true visionary.

Having started my career in Sri Lanka under his stewardship in the Bartleet Group, I had the privilege of working with him uninterrupted for 20 years, a privilege and an opportunity, I will always cherish. This colossus of a man had a God given knack to input his knowledge and style to others close to him in a very unique manner. Early years at Bartleets were special when I had to work closely with him, in the formation of the Colombo Stock Exchange. Many overseas visits were undertaken, particularly to the West and also to regional countries to learn from their experiences in this pioneering venture for Sri Lanka. Success during those visits were achieved in two fronts i.e. his ability to command the respect and attention during many forums and meetings, and his ability to convert the discussions to binding decisions subsequently at the dinner table. A Connoisseur of food and wine and completely at ease with the highest level of society whether it was the British aristocracy of which he was often accused of following, the Maharajas of India and many presidents and prime ministers of the time. The esteem he enjoyed amongst them was a natural reflection of his intellect.

Amongst his other achievements were first Chairman of the Colombo Stock Exchange, Chairman of the Employers Federation of Ceylon (1960-1971), Chairman, Ceylon Chamber of Commerce (1964 to 1970) and founder President of the Federation of Chambers of Commerce and Industries. A devout Christian, he was also a trustee of the Anglican Church and a pioneer of the YMCA movement in Sri Lanka. The other positions he held in the private sector are too numerous to mention and his contribution to these organisations through his unique sense of judgement and positive leadership, particularly in their formative years became the cornerstone of their success in the latter years.

In all his endeavours, he was ably supported by his wife Joyce, daughter of another illustrious product of Sri Lanka, Sir Oliver Goonetilleke first Governor General of Independent Sri Lanka. A proud father of three children, and particularly fond of his only daughter, Hiranthi, of whom he had many stories to relate, he also paved the way for his two sons, Eraj and Sunil to follow in his footsteps and guide his flagship company the Bartleet Group to even greater heights, since his retirement a few years ago.

On a personal note, I owe a huge debt to this great man for his guidance and monitoring in formative years, having joined the Bartleet Group way back in 1982. His guidance and benevolence was unmatched and enabled all of us to overcome many hurdles. As an admirer of his style and spirit, I have no doubt, his vision will be carried forward with a deep sense of commitment. I am sure, every employee, past and present at the Bartleet Group and many others in the private sector, who benefited from his leadership, will join me in bidding a final farewell to a truly remarkable son of Sri Lanka.
Susantha Fernando