Founded in 1980 as Lanka ORIX Leasing Company, has evolved into one of Sri Lanka’s largest and most diversified multinational conglomerates. Headquartered in Colombo, the group operates across 27 countries spanning Asia, Africa, and Australia. It is publicly traded on the Colombo Stock Exchange and maintains a dominant global platform dedicated to financial inclusion for Micro, Small, and Medium Enterprises (MSMEs).
The company’s origins trace back to a historic joint venture formed in 1980 between Japan’s ORIX Corporation and Sri Lankan visionaries, notably the Nanayakkara family. Originally established as a pioneer in introducing equipment leasing to grassroots entrepreneurs, the enterprise shifted into a high-growth conglomerate under the principal stewardship of Ishara Nanayakkara. His strategic acquisition and directional pivot in the early 2000s catalyzed the group’s scale from a local lender into a global microfinance powerhouse.
Financial services serve as the primary engine for LOLC, extending across 21 countries. Its flagship entity, LOLC Finance PLC, stands as the largest non-banking financial institution (NBFI) in Sri Lanka. The conglomerate commands total assets of approximately LKR 2.32 trillion ($7.6+ billion USD) with annual revenues reaching LKR 306.75 billion, generating a net profit of LKR 30.90 billion.
Beyond core finance, LOLC has expanded into eight other sectors: leisure, agriculture and plantations, manufacturing and trading, technology, advanced technologies, construction, mining, and strategic investments. Its agricultural portfolio achieved global prominence through major acquisitions, such as James Finlays and Lipton tea assets, elevating the group to the world’s largest commercial tea manufacturer. The group also operates luxury hospitality assets across Sri Lanka, the Maldives, and Mauritius, alongside large-scale sugar and cinnamon production.
The group’s operational framework is backed by a market capitalization of around LKR 230 billion and a global workforce of over 9,000 employees. Maintaining liquidity with cash reserves of over LKR 139 billion, LOLC continues to drive global expansion across emerging markets in Central Asia and Sub-Saharan Africa through strategic partnerships with international Development Finance Institutions (DFIs) and proprietary digital platforms