Thilina Panduwawala
Head of Economic Research

Thilina Panduwawala is Head of Economic Research at Frontier Research. He returned to Frontier in 2022 after an 18-month stint at the ADB as a consultant to its Sri Lanka Resident Mission. Prior to this in his previous four years at Frontier, Thilina led work in embedding politics into Frontier’s economic analysis and was able to provide fresh perspectives on the interactions between them, which have become an integral part of Frontier’s approach.
Thilina also currently functions as the alternate member to Frontier’s CEO on the Ceylon Chamber of Commerce Steering Committee on Economic Policy.
All Media Appearances

Independent Economists present ‘Emergency Plan’ to address crisis in SL
22-4-20
The independent group of economists highlight that macroeconomics risks will continue to worsen if immediate action is not taken. Therefore the group of economists urge the government to take the necessary steps to achieve this outcome immediately.

A Conversation on Chinese Lending to Sri Lanka
23-1-8
Excerpts of an interview with Mr. Umesh Moramudali, Lecturer at the Department of Economics, University of Colombo, and Mr. Thilina Panduwawala, Head of Economic Research at Frontier Research, a private-sector research firm based in Colombo, Sri Lanka, on Chinese lending to Sri Lanka. The interview was based on a recent research report they published with the China-Africa Research Initiative at the School of International Studies, Johns Hopkins University, USA.

Pakistan, Sri Lanka debt crises threaten Beijing's regional influence
22-8-10
Thilina Panduwawala, head of economic research at Frontier Research, a Colombo-based consultancy said domestic political considerations have driven most of this infrastructure growth, and “the country is paying a price for (this) political rush.”