Our Group Leadership Team

Mano is a serial tech entrepreneur and is the Founder and Chief Executive Officer (CEO) of 99x. He is also the founder of StartupX Foundry, one of Sri Lanka’s first tech start-up accelerators, which aims at taking Sri Lankan start-ups to the global stage by providing necessary guidance and support. He further influences Sri Lanka’s start-up ecosystem through the Lankan Angel Network (LAN), of which he was Chairman during 2017-2021. He is also the past Chairman of Sri Lanka’s IT/BPM sector’s apex body, SLASSCOM.

Knut Olav serves as the Co - Chief Investment Officer at Watrium and is a board member in multiple companies including HitecVision, Kezzler and Flexiteek International. Prior to Watrium, Knut Olav was a Managing Director and Partner at The Boston Consulting Group, and has advised numerous blue-chip companies on strategy, large-scale transformations and M&A. This has included major efforts to redirect corporate and business unit strategy, streamline organizations, improve productivity, due diligences, M&A advisory, full potential plans, and successful post-merger integration. In 2009 and 2011 Knut Olav was named one of Norway's top 100 leadership talents by E24. Knut Olav regularly gives lectures on strategy and M&A, and has also co-written reports on key strategic topics.

Gunnar has more than 30 years of senior management experience in Norway as well as internationally. He serves on the board of directors of various companies including chairman of the board in EcoOnline AS and Plaato AS. As an investor through his own investment company Møsbu, he seeks opportunities to invest and work with companies solving environmental challenges like EcoOnline, Quantafuel, Kyoto, Arbaflame, Green minerals and Beefutures. Further, he invests and work closely as an active owner with Nordic Tech/SAS Scale ups like; Plaato, Keystone, Ardoq, Joymo, Be Your Best, Axeptia and others. Gunnar has a long career as CEO of the Norwegian broadband and TV provider Get, and before that he held director positions in Telia and Apple Computer.

Fredrik is an investment professional and partner at Driv Kapital. He focuses on investments in business software and business services companies. Fredrik is currently a director on the boards of PTC, Elektroimportøren, PSW and Sumo. Previously he worked with companies such as Admincontrol, EFG, Hatteland Display, Stamina, Seagull and Harding. Before joining Herkules Capital, Fredrik began his carrier at SEB Enskilda and he holds an MSc in Industrial Economics from the Norwegian University of Technology and Science and the University of Edinburgh.

Karl-Christian has over 25 years of experience in managing and coaching high growth companies in the media and tech industries. He also has 20 years of investment experience in high tech companies as well as M&A experience through buying, merging and selling companies. Karl-Christian has extensive Board experience in both private and publicly listed companies and is today Board Member in Schibsted ASA, a leading European Digital Media company. Karl Christian is motivated by a drive to create change, to improve Business Models and to make change happen in organizations. He has an extensive network in the Venture Capital community, both in the Nordic Region and beyond.

Aase has over 30 years of experience in brand development, marketing and communications. She was responsible for Visma’s overall brand platform and communication strategy, including digital media for 25 years. She has managed national and international marketing activities throughout Europe, led rebranding processes of numerous acquired companies and been a member of Visma’s group management team for 15 years. Prior to Visma, Aase held various positions in marketing, IT training and consultancy. She is a graduate of Hedmark University College in special education and teaching. In addition, she has studied computer science at the University of Oslo and marketing at BI Norwegian Business School.

Fredrik is an investment professional and a Partner at Driv Kapital. Kongsli focuses on investments in consumer, business software, and business services companies. He is currently a director on the boards of Olivia, Sumo, and LMK Group. During his career he has served as a board member in Beckmann, Eterni, Puzzel and Odlo. Prior to joining Herkules Capital, Fredrik completed a 4-year Investment Talent Program at Norges Bank Investment Management (NBIM) and he holds an MBA from INSEAD and a Bachelor of Arts in Economics from Columbia University.

Mano is a serial tech entrepreneur and is the Founder and Chief Executive Officer (CEO) of 99x. He is also the founder of StartupX Foundry, one of Sri Lanka’s first tech start-up accelerators, which aims at taking Sri Lankan start-ups to the global stage by providing necessary guidance and support. He further influences Sri Lanka’s start-up ecosystem through the Lankan Angel Network (LAN), of which he was Chairman during 2017-2021. He is also the past Chairman of Sri Lanka’s IT/BPM sector’s apex body, SLASSCOM.

With nearly 20 years of experience in the IT industry, Shehani holds a BSc (Hons) degree in Information Systems from the Manchester Metropolitan University. She’s a certified PMP, certified Scrum Master and a member of the British Computer Society. Her core competencies are in project management, delivery management, product engineering, continuous process improvements, process consulting, people and operations management. Shehani is also the Head of the Quality Circle of SLASSCOM, the local industry body for the IT/BPM sector.

Chatura holds over 14+ years of industry experience in software product design and engineering. He specialises in developing SaaS product platforms with experience in delivering projects and performing versatile roles in customer acquisition function. Prior to this position he has worked as an Architect in many software product teams and has delivered software solutions for international and local clients and through working with such projects, he has gained experience within domains such as finance, HR, and CRM. He is a certified SCRUM master and has a Bsc in Management Information Systems from University College of Dublin and a Msc in Enterprise Application Development from Sheffield Hallam university.

Sherman counts over 25 years of experience in investment banking, capital markets, asset management, private equity, M&As coupled with macro level policy formation & implementations in a spectrum of development clusters in the economy. He has started his career as an Investment Banker with JP Morgan Chase and subsequently held several senior management positions in the fields of business, finance and investment management with leading corporates in the country.

Damitha counts over 18+ years of experience in the field of IT. Starting his career as a software engineer, Damitha expanded his career into Project Management, Operation Management and Human Resource Management. He holds a Masters in Financial Economics from University of Colombo. In addition to his corporate responsibilities, he takes part in strengthening industry-academia partnerships in Sri Lanka and works closely with state agencies in streamlining the academic programs of Sri Lankan universities.

Starting his career as a Software Engineer at MAS Holdings, Buddhi currently holds 15+ years of experience. He holds a BSc (Hons) degree from the Manchester Metropolitan University and is a certified PMP and certified Scrum Master. He has experience in developing web-based systems and managing varying kinds of offshore development and testing teams. Buddhi is also heavily involved in industry-building community work through the Colombo Camps Community and is the main organizer of Colombo Agile Conference among many other industry specific conferences.

With over 10 years of experience in designing and developing software solutions, Suren possesses extensive exposure in the major software development stacks such as .NET, Java EE, LAMP and MEAN. With a keen interest keen interest in delivering business value by utilizing technology and teamwork, he has spent the last several years managing agile software product engineering teams towards delivering successful products.

Sachith Perera is a Software Architect working at 99x with 12+ years of software engineering experience. He holds a special degree in Computer Science from the University of Colombo and an MBA in Information Technology from the University of Moratuwa. He is also a Microsoft Certified Professional Developer (MCPD) and a Certified Scrum Master. He also holds certifications from DNV as a Certified ISMS Auditor and from CIMA in the area of Management Accountancy.

With over 15 years of experience in the software industry, Kalana has been involved in designing and developing software solutions across a wide range of domains and platforms. A software architect by profession, he holds a BSc in Software Engineering and an MSc in Advanced Software Engineering from the University of Westminster, UK. Kalana currently leads Developer Experience at 99x, empowering engineers to perform at their best, and has been instrumental in driving organizational growth through strategic initiatives focused on technology innovation.

Tharindra Jayamaha is a highly experienced Director of Quality Engineering, with over 14 years of experience in the field. He has been recognized for his exceptional work at 99x, receiving numerous awards, including the CEO's award in 2021. Tharindra is an ISTQB-qualified and certified Scrum Master, adding to his impressive credentials. He holds a BSc. (Hons) degree in Computing and its practice, Information Technology from The Open University in the UK. In addition to his technical expertise, Tharindra has made significant contributions to the industry through his involvement in various professional organizations. He served as the SLASSCOM Quality Forum Lead from 2019 to 2021, and as a General Council Member of SLASSCOM from 2020 to 2022. He is also an active member of Round Table International (Negombo Round Table 7), demonstrating his commitment to community service.

Anura Adhikari is a highly experienced tech professional with over 20 years of technical expertise in diverse domains and is now a Senior Manager of Employee Success. He is a Microsoft Certified Technology Specialist, demonstrating his expertise in Agile methodologies and project management. And also a Member of the British Computer Society (MBCS) and holds a Mini MBA from the Colombo School of Business Management. He has been recognized for his exceptional performance, receiving the 99x CEO's Award in 2013. Anura has extensive experience in employee engagement, having managed the Uni Relations Initiative since 2013. With his extensive experience, technical proficiency, and comprehensive education, Anura is a well-rounded professional in the field of employee success.

Samra Aman is a seasoned professional in the field of delivery management, with over 11 years of extensive experience. She holds a Certified Scrum Master certification, demonstrating her mastery of Agile methodologies and project management. Samra's exceptional performance has been recognized with the Delivery Team Award for Exceeding Customer Expectations in 2019, highlighting her exceptional ability to drive results and exceed customer expectations. Additionally, she has received the Change-making Lead award, and the CEO’s award for the year 2022, further emphasizing her impact and leadership in the field. Samra's comprehensive education was obtained through BCS - The Chartered Institute for IT, coupled with her extensive experience and technical proficiency, providing her with a well-rounded understanding of the industry.