As Sri Lanka ushered in 2020, we, at John Keells Group were humbled and excited, as we commemorated our 150th year of partnering our country's growth and delivering exceptional value to our stakeholders. We are proud of our heritage as a tea and produce broker, which began with the advent of the tea plantations in Sri Lanka over a century ago. Today, we are honoured as we are benchmarked by many as one of Sri Lanka’s most respected diversified companies – where we have interests in shipping and logistics, consumer foods, leisure, property development, retail, financial services and information technology.

Largest listed conglomerate in Colombo Stock Exchange 

We are thankful to have grown with our nation, diversifying into many growth sectors over the last 150 years as Sri Lanka also prospered. As we celebrate this milestone, we recognise and thank you, our stakeholders: shareholders, the government, suppliers, partners, employees, and customers. We owe a debt of gratitude to you for partnering with us on this exciting journey, helping to shape and transform lives and nurturing Sri Lankan grown brands such as Cinnamon Hotels and Resorts, Elephant House, Keells and Union Assurance.

150 YEARS TO BE THANKFUL FOR

We are gratified to have played our part in driving the growth of our country, investing in landmark projects which have, and will, define Sri Lanka - such as our investment in the first private port terminal in the country named South Asia Gateway Terminals (SAGT) or the USD 900 million, 4.5 million square foot, integrated mixed-use complex, branded as Cinnamon Life, both projects being the largest ever private investments in Sri Lanka at the time.

Our strength has always been our exceptionally talented pool of employees who bring a variety of skills, experience and innovative ideas to the work we do each day. Whilst the immediate John Keells family includes over 20,000 people, from diverse backgrounds, we have fostered a much larger ecosystem of partners and suppliers whom we have upskilled and have introduced innovation, sustainability practices and technology to. We are driven by the thought that we touch the lives of many through our products and services – many of which are locally developed, and branded, to serve our people.

Evolution of Our Business Portfolio 

Our business commenced in 1870 as a produce broker in tea, the most thriving industry in the country at that time. Over the years, we have aligned ourselves with the growth sectors of the country, evolving our portfolio of businesses to remain relevant at each juncture of time. Today, most of the businesses of the Group are leaders in their respective industries.

Playing our part in Tourism 

John Keells Holdings PLC (JKH) entered the tourism sector in the 1970s and has been at the forefront of spearheading the tourism industry in the country where we are the largest owner and operator of rooms with 2,400 rooms under the Cinnamon brand. Cinnamon Hotels and Resorts is recognised as being a home-grown Sri Lankan brand with the capability to compete with the best international brands.

Transforming Colombo to be a Lifestyle Capital 

In another landmark investment for the Group, in the post-conflict era, JKH took the bold step to construct and develop a large mixed-use project comprising of an 800-room hotel, 2 residential apartment towers, a commercial complex, space for conferencing and banqueting for over 4,000 pax and a retail and entertainment space. This project, branded as “Cinnamon Life”, is Sri Lanka’s single largest private sector investment at over USD 900 million underpinning the financial strength of the Group and the confidence we have in the underlying opportunity for Sri Lanka. The iconic 4.5 million square foot development was designed by world renowned architect Cecil Balmond OBE and reflects his Sri Lankan origin in its shape of the “moonstones” and “guard stones” which herald the entry into the new Colombo. The development contains essential entertainment and conference facilities aimed at catalysing the demand and excitement to catapult Colombo into the tourism destination it can be.

Port of Colombo as a Key Hub Port in Asia 

SAGT, the first private terminal in the country, led by JKH, played a pivotal role in establishing the Port of Colombo as one of the leading transshipment hub ports in Asia. The investment of USD 240 million in 1999 was the largest private sector investment in the country at the time. The structuring of the project facilitated a transfer of technology and know-how to Sri Lankan staff, and SAGT’s world class operations have been recognized internationally. This is exemplified through the various accolades SAGT has received over the years, such as being ranked as number one in South Asia and number four in the world for Terminal Productivity by the Journal of Commerce, USA and as the ‘Best Transshipment Hub Port Terminal of the Year’ by the Global Ports Forum.

Quenching the Palates of Millions of Sri Lankans 

The Group entered into the beverage and ice creams business through the acquisition of Whittall Boustead Limited in 1991 - which again, at the time was the largest acquisition in the history of corporate Sri Lanka, which also owned hotel properties and a stake in the insurance business – Union Assurance Limited. “Elephant House” is quintessentially Sri Lankan. The beverages and ice creams produced and sold under the Elephant House brand are synonymous with many Sri Lankans considering the island-wide distribution network and retail base of over 80,000 outlets and the established nature of the products as we have catered to the needs of our people for over a century. Elephant House has continued to maintain a dominant position in the marketplace, despite the presence of large multinational players, showcasing the ability of locally developed and manufactured products to serve the needs of our consumers.

Conclusion

As we reach this important milestone, we have reflected on our journey: the pitfalls, and successes, along the way. It is our belief that one of the key successes of the John Keells story has been the foresight and willingness to broad-base our shareholding. We are the rare Sri Lankan company not controlled by a single shareholder. This has driven a meritocracy and a performance-based management team that has consistently delivered value to our diverse base of stakeholders.

As we look to the future, we are acutely aware that our continued success is tied to the responsibility we carry towards the upliftment and sustainable growth of Sri Lanka. As a whole, our Corporate Social Responsibility and sustainability initiatives are at the foundation of everything we do. John Keells were pioneers in introducing, and instilling, the practice and culture of sustainability in corporate Sri Lanka. We are pleased that sustainable initiatives are at the core of all we do and are intertwined to form an integral part of our future business strategies.

So, it is with a deep sense of gratitude and excitement that we look forward to the future. One where we hope to continually foster a sense of camaraderie, collaboration and excellence in realising our passion to serve our stakeholders. Come share in our journey as we continue to partner with the future of Sri Lanka and deliver value for all stakeholders.