OUR TEAM

With a 7-year tenure at Frontier Research, Nimesha provides overall strategic direction to the Macro-Economic Research and Sector Research divisions, leading a team of over 10 individuals. She is responsible for ensuring that the research insights effectively cater to the information needs of the business clientele and are delivered in a timely manner. She also oversees work on new product development, client management and team growth, with a strong emphasis on carrying forward the legacy and vision of vision of Frontier's late founder, Amal Sanderatne.

Nimesha also manages a family business in the manufacturing and retail space, which has allowed her to effectively use lessons learned to benefit both organizations in the past few years.

Nimesha was selected to participate in the International Visitor Leadership Program organised by the U.S. Department of State, in November 2023.

Thanuri, with over 10 years of experience within the company and a deep understanding of Frontier's operations cultivated alongside Amal, holds the role of Chief Operating Officer (COO) at Frontier. In her capacity as COO, she leads the charge in business development, operations, and technology functions.

Thanuri is responsible for overlooking and managing client relationships with our existing clients and prospective ones. Her role includes identifying suitable client groups for our evolving products and services, while spearheading efforts to drive client adoption. Additionally, she is responsible for the financial planning and budgeting processes at Frontier. Furthermore, she provides oversight to our tech operations.

Thanuri's role extends to her integral position within the leadership team which is part of the strategic decision-making for Frontier.

Thilina Panduwawala is Senior Macroeconomist, leading macro-analysis and forecasting. He returned to Frontier in 2022 after an 18-month stint at the ADB as a consultant to its Sri Lanka Resident Mission, where he provided macro-monitoring and analysis for the ADB's operations in Sri Lanka. In his previous four years at Frontier, Thilina led work in embedding politics into economic analysis and making it an integral part of Frontier's approach.

Outside of Frontier, he co-authored Evolution of Chinese Lending to Sri Lanka Since the mid-2000s in 2022, a research paper published by the China-Africa Initiative at Johns Hopkins University and presented at the 2023 DebtCon-6 conference held at Princeton University. He is currently co-authoring four papers on Sri Lanka's sovereign default and domestic debt restructuring for the Finance for Development Lab (FDL) based in Paris, France. Thilina has also authored unpublished reports on SOEs, sub-national government and social security, and electoral demographics of Sri Lanka for international agencies.

Chayu is currently the Head of Macroeconomic Advisory at Frontier Research. He leads work in understanding varying macroeconomic risks and tying them into the Sri Lankan economic context, currently focusing on debt crises in Sri Lanka and other countries, monetary and financial sector risks, and energy sector developments. He takes a key role in in the development of Frontier's views on interest rates and the LKR, and presenting content to Frontier's clients. He has been featured on varied local and international media for his views on the economy.

Chayu also acts as an Executive Director for DaddysLanka (Pvt) Ltd, a family-run institute working in the field of special needs and mental health care.

Anjali currently functions as a Senior Research Lead at Frontier, working across Frontier’s economic research arms. She plays a leading role in Frontier’s banking and financial sector research and forecasting work, while also contributing to the macro-economic forecasting function by leading Frontier’s credit, consumer demand inflation outlook and forecasts.

Anjali also leads our flagship curated news product, Time Twister and coordinates the team working on it.

Aparni’s role at Frontier primarily focuses on business development, client coordination, recruitment, and various operational tasks. Additionally, she also takes charge of creative designs and the upkeep of our social media channels.

Before joining Frontier, she started her career at Trailfinders – Walkers Tours, where she developed her interest in digital creatives and social media management. She continues to use her skills outside of Frontier as well, to create awareness on women and other minority rights with related advocates and organizations. She was also a writer and a subeditor for Oceanlust magazine, focusing on ocean sustainability and blue economy.

She is a graduate of General Sir John Kotelawala Defence University holding a BSc in Built Environment (Architecture), and is currently pursuing her MSc in Sustainable Tourism at University of Peradeniya.

Arshad is a Senior Research Analyst at Frontier Research, working across multiple arms of the firm. After graduating from the University of Colombo, he has made a name for himself by tackling big economic questions and has recently focused on understanding how global events and other macroeconomic trends affect the local economy. At Frontier, he turns complex scenarios into clear, useful insights that help clients make better decisions.

Outside of Frontier, Arshad brings has brought his expertise to the media on Channel Eye's "Business Today," breaking down market trends for viewers. He is also passionate about teaching, guiding over 300 Advanced Level Economics students with his own venture, iTutorSL, ensuring they are prepared for the future.

Navinda is a Business Economics graduate from the University of Colombo and currently works as a Research Analyst at Frontier. He focuses on macroeconomic analysis, particularly on market liquidity and specific work on capital markets. With a keen interest in sectors such as Tourism, F&B, Banking, and LFC, Navinda has contributed to publications in the Daily FT, notably exploring the influence of tourism on forecasting models alongside his Frontier colleagues.

Prior to joining Frontier, Navinda honed his skills as an accounts manager at a digital marketing agency and gained valuable experience as an intern at a prestigious private bank.

Tharangi is a Junior Research Analyst at Frontier, currently contributing to the Economic Research team as well as holding responsibility for remote team management. She is an Economics and Statistics Undergraduate at the University of Peradeniya, currently in her fourth year. She has completed her diploma at the Bandaranaike International Diplomatic Training Institute (BIDTI), in Diplomacy and World Affairs.

She has previously worked as a Client Relations Officer and as an Intern in a private commercial bank.

Theeksha, currently contributing to the Economics Research Team is a final year undergraduate at the Department of Business Economics, Faculty of Management and Finance, University of Colombo.

Theeksha holds a Professional Diploma in Digital Marketing and currently serves as the Rugby Captain and Sports Council President at the University of Colombo. He has been actively involved in leadership roles, student ambassadorships and sports, showcasing his commitment to teamwork and excellence.

Himaru is a Trainee Research Analyst contributing to the research team. He is a final year Economics undergraduate at the University of Peradeniya and a Marketing student. He has a keen interest in diplomacy and international affairs with Model United Nations experience and has completed his IR diploma at the Bandaranaike Center for International Studies.

Prior to joining Frontier, he worked as a Marketing Intern and was a part of AIESEC at his university for 3 years.

Ishfaaq is currently working in the Operations team. He has completed AAT and currently awaiting AAT results. He plans to pursue a Degree at University of Colombo and also pursue CIMA.

Shihara is a trainee research analyst primarily contributing to Economics research at Frontier. She is a fourth year-undergraduate at the University of Colombo specializing in Economics and a final year undergraduate at University of London in Bachelor of Laws (LLB).  Her previous work experience includes contributing in various capacities to think tanks, market research, as well as the development sector within various NGOs. 

Joshua Weerasingham is a law graduate with an LLB (Hons) from the University of London. He combines his legal background with a passion for creativity, supporting day-to-day operations by assisting with content production, video editing, and ensuring presentations are clear and engaging.

His previous work experience includes property conveyancing, freelance video editing and content writing, which have helped him develop both legal and creative skills.