Founder of Dilmah tea - Merrill J. Fernando has passed away

Merrill Joseph Fernando (born 6 May 1930 - 20 July 2023) was the founder and former CEO of the Sri Lankan tea company Dilmah. In 2019, Fernando stood down as CEO of Dilmah and was succeeded by his son Dilhan Fernando.










Merrill J. Fernando took the country’s tea, to tea lovers around the world.

He also wanted to make business a matter of human service. The fulfillment of that philosophy is evident in the work of his MJF Charitable Foundation which uses a minimum 15% of the pretax profits of Dilmah and its ancillary businesses, to provide nutrition, education, care and support to differently abled children, youth in marginalized communities, the elderly.

In 2007, Merrill extended the humanitarian assistance his businesses offer, to the environment with the formation of Dilmah Conservation, to deliver positive environmental and cultural intervention.

His philosophy has delivered strong outcomes through entrepreneurship development amongst survivors of tsunami, war windows, empowerment of women, support for children with cerebral Palsy, Down Syndrome, Autism, supporting ancient tribes in Sri Lanka to adapt to the 21st Century, fostering innovation as a means of addressing developmental challenges, and a host of other projects.