Considered to be one of the most prolific business minds in the freight forwarding industry, Mr. Don Gamini Kannangara is known for his instinctive decision-making abilities and visionary thinking.
Mr. Kannangara’s philosophy in life is to ‘make a positive impact on every person you cross paths with’. He believes that everyone must be treated equally, and that the key to developing Sri Lanka into an independent, self-sufficient country is good education. His motto, ‘Service above all’, is hereditary from his family. He understands the importance of supporting the farmer, the weaver, the tea plucker, and that of producing the next generation of world class doctors, lawyers, engineers, and entrepreneurs. Mr. Kannangara also understands the significance of Sri Lanka’s geographical and geopolitical position; There should be business opportunities created within a framework that will serve the country’s needs in the long run.
Personal Profile
Don Gamini Kannangara is a proud product of St. Thomas College, Mt. Lavinia. Born to a family of 9 children, he is now a high profile entrepreneur and the current group managing director of TRICO; a successful business with close ties to Sri Lanka customs and global footprints under its brand name, and is currently synonymous with UPB handling and export facilitation. Under his leadership, Mr. Kannangara built a global business empire across 25 countries. The company grew to become the largest UPB handling company in the Middle East region, directly employing over 1000 people. As a business leader, Mr. Kannangara brings his extensive business experience and a reputation for excellence to his motherland Sri Lanka. His philanthropic efforts over the last 30 years have been globally known and appreciated.
He is a loving husband to Kumudu and a wonderful father to children Hashini, Lakwin and Harini. Mr. Kannangara may play golf and travel the world, but he is a down-to-earth human being who has the ability to relate to any age, gender, ethnicity, or social class he crosses paths with.
Current Positions
Managing Director - Trico Maritime (Pvt) Limited, Sri Lanka
Trico Maritime (Pvt) Limited is the first customs bonded warehouse for UPB & gift cargo handling in Sri Lanka established in 1982 and now it has 2 more branches located in Kurunegala & Galle. Trico Maritime operates in 25 countries around the world with more than 30 authorized agencies to provide extensive service, primarily to our foreign-exchange earners and the diplomatic community.
Managing Director - Trico Logistics (Private/Public partnership with Sri Lanka Customs)
Trico Logistics (Pvt) Ltd., founded by Mr. Gamini Kannangara is part of a global expansion program. Known as the Customs Export Facilitation Centre (EFC) under a Public-Private Partnership model, The EFC is a new concept introduced to Sri Lanka under the guidance of Sri Lanka Customs and the management of Trico Logistics with invaluable guidance and knowledge shared by the Sri Lanka Shipper’s Council. The EFC is the home of the Export Directorate of Sri Lanka Customs and the location where cargo inspection and final export clearance is granted to FCL/LCL shipments departing from Sri Lanka. Trico Logistics provides around-the-clock operations 365 days a year, maintaining the same high standard of service levels throughout the year without fail. Before the EFC concept, it would take up to 30-35 hours to complete Customs regulatory procedures for FCL/LCL export. With the introduction of EFC, the export regulatory process takes less than 1 hour on average. The efficiency in processing helps expedite the time to export containers and bring down the processing time to less than 45 minutes, before proceeding to the port stack.
Managing Director - Frico International LLC, UAE
Established in 1983, Frico International LLC specializes in personal baggage cargo logistics services to Sri Lanka, Philippines, Indonesia, and Nepal. It presently maintains branches across the UAE. When it comes to UPB and gift cargo delivery, Frico Cargo has been a major resource for Sri Lankan expatriates in the UAE for the past 40+ years.
Managing Director - Trico International Forwarding Phils., Inc., Philippines
This company handles cargo operations sent to the Philippines by Filipinos living worldwide. For more than 20+ years, this company has retained the trust of the Filipino
community.
Managing Director - Trico International, Indonesia
Since 1996, this company has been handling cargo sent to Indonesia by Indonesians living around the world. For more than 28+ years, this company has been trusted by Indonesians.
Social/Professional Responsibilities
● In 2019, Mr. Kannangara was felicitated by the World Customs Union through Sri Lanka Customs on World Customs Day for his steadfast dedication to the trade and
assistance provided to Sri Lanka Customs over the last four decades.
● In 2001, Mr. Kannangara was elected President of Lanka Lions, a social and sports club based in Dubai, UAE, composed of expatriate Sri Lankans living in the Emirates.
● Founding Member of the Sri Lankan Business Council, UAE. The Sri Lankan Business Council (SLBC) in Dubai & Northern Emirates was formed in 1991 under the
umbrella of the Consulate General of Sri Lanka.
