H.E. Devinda R. Subasinghe
Sri Lanka's Ambassador to the United States
and Mexico

BIOGRAPHY

His Excellency Devinda R. Subasinghe was appointed Sri Lanka's Ambassador to the United States and Mexico on October 7th, 2002. Ambassador Subasinghe presented his credentials to President George W. Bush at the Oval Office on February 26, 2003.

He was Vice President with Florida based Raymond James Financial Inc., (NYSE: RJF) and responsible for developing their investment banking business in structured finance and international investment banking portfolio including debt and equity cross border lending with focus on Latin America (1999-2002).

He has had a very active 25 year international career from advising President J.R. Jayewardene and counseling President R. Premadasa (1977-1984) on international economic development and financial issues and US-Sri Lanka bilateral issues, to serving the World Bank and the International Finance Corporation (1984-1995) in the Asia Pacific and Central and Eastern Europe advising on economic reform; industrial, trade, agricultural and environmental restructuring; private sector development; and foreign direct investment issues.

From 1995 to 1999, he advised the U.S. Government on foreign policy and economic development issues, as well as public and private corporations and equity funds on cross border/emerging market investments. He was Founder and CEO of Asia Insight 21 which specialized in consulting governments and corporations on trade and investment matters. With Deloitte & Touche Fantus Consulting (an industry leader in corporate location/foreign direct investment advisory services) and The Services Group (a privately held trade and investment advisory firm) he was responsible for mandates advising the United Nations, governments and corporations in the U.S., Asia, Europe, Middle East, Central and South America, Caribbean and Southern/South Africa on capital markets, trade liberalization, and investment mobilization.

His involvement in U.S.-Sri Lanka bilateral relations started with the Carter Administration and continues through the present Bush Administration. He has acted as advisor to Prime Minister Ranil Wickremesinghe during his term as Cabinet Minister, Leader of the Opposition and Prime Minister

Born in Sri Lanka, he was educated at the Royal College and the Sri Lanka Law College. He was a national swimmer, and this brought him to the U.S. to pursue higher education as an athlete/scholar. He completed a B.A. in Economics and Political Science from Indiana University and a M.A. in International Economics at the School of Advanced International Studies at The John Hopkins University in Washington D.C.

He is a strong supporter of globalization and economic development and understands the risks and rewards of investment in emerging markets. He has published extensively on these issues in The Wall Street Journal, Corporate Location, World Investment Report of the United Nations, and The Asian Wall Street Journal among others. He has also addressed international conferences and audiences sponsored by agencies such as the US Overseas Private Investment Corporation, US AID, the Inter American Development Bank, Standard and Poors, Fannie Mae, Georgetown University, John Hopkins University, University of Tampa, University of South Florida, Eckerd College, The Heritage Foundation and the Center for International Private Enterprise.

Devinda and his wife Helga Wurzer-Subasinghe, who is an artist, have a son Oliver, a graduate of Eckerd College in St. Petersburg, Florida.