Lanka Realty Investments PLC (LRI) has announced the appointment of Mark Prothero and Piers Charles Kirshaw Rooke as Independent Non-Executive Directors to its Board, further strengthening the company’s leadership with extensive international experience in banking, financial services, real estate investment and corporate governance.
The appointments bring together decades of senior-level expertise across international markets, offering the Board valuable strategic insight, independent oversight and a broader global perspective as the company continues to pursue its growth ambitions.
Mark Prothero – Extensive International Banking and Governance Experience
Mark Prothero brings more than 30 years of international banking experience, including a distinguished 31-year career with the HSBC Group. During this time, he held senior leadership positions across Asia, the Middle East, Europe and the Americas, gaining extensive experience in international financial markets, business operations and enterprise-wide risk management.
From September 2016 to September 2021, Prothero served as Chief Executive Officer of HSBC Sri Lanka and the Maldives, overseeing the bank’s operations across both markets.
His wider professional experience includes serving as a Non-Executive Director of HSBC Mauritius and as President of the British Chamber of Commerce in Sri Lanka. He has also chaired Risk and Audit Committees within the HSBC Group in both executive and non-executive capacities, bringing considerable expertise in financial oversight, internal audit, risk management and corporate governance.
A certified anti-money laundering specialist, Prothero further strengthens the Board’s capabilities in financial governance and regulatory oversight.
Piers Rooke – Extensive Experience in International Real Estate Investment and Development
Joining the Board alongside Prothero, Piers Charles Kirshaw Rooke brings over 25 years of experience in the commercial and residential real estate sectors across the United Kingdom and Europe.
Rooke is the Chief Executive Officer of Castlecap Investments Management Ltd., a privately owned property investment and management group with interests across office, retail, industrial, leisure, student and residential real estate.
Over the course of his career, he has been directly involved in property transactions exceeding £1.2 billion, gaining extensive experience across the real estate investment lifecycle. His expertise spans property acquisitions, investment structuring and financing, planning and development, asset management and asset disposals.
He has also been a founding shareholder in four property businesses: Waterbridge Investment Partners, Seastar Developments, Ebberly Investments and Castlecap Investments. Through these ventures, he has contributed to building and managing a UK-focused real estate investment and development platform serving institutional and private investors.
Having begun his career in the London financial markets, Rooke combines financial market knowledge with practical experience in property investment and development, bringing valuable perspectives on investment strategy and long-term asset value creation.
Strengthening Board Governance and Oversight
In addition to their Board appointments, Prothero and Rooke have been appointed to LRI’s Audit Committee, Remuneration Committee, Related Party Transactions Review Committee, and Nominations and Governance Committee.
These appointments further strengthen the Board’s collective capabilities in financial oversight, corporate governance, remuneration and strategic decision-making.
As part of the latest Board changes, Independent Non-Executive Directors Sarravanan Neelakandan and Mohamed Firdouse Farook will transition to Non-Independent Non-Executive Director positions following the completion of nine years of service on the Board.
Following these changes, the Board of Lanka Realty Investments PLC comprises S. Neelakandan (Chairman), M.H. Jamaldeen, A.J.B. Warman, M.F. Farook, B.V. Selvanayagam, P. Morgan, Mark Prothero and Piers Rooke.
The appointments reflect Lanka Realty Investments’ continued commitment to strengthening its corporate governance framework and enhancing the depth of expertise within its leadership. By bringing together international banking experience, real estate investment knowledge and strong governance capabilities, LRI further positions its Board to provide effective oversight and strategic direction as the company moves into its next phase of growth.
