Media tycoon Dilith Jayaweera has been appointed a member of the Public Services Commission.

Jayaweera, a prominent businessman with a diverse portfolio, is the owner of the Derana media network and is known to be a close ally of President Gotabhaya Rajapaksa.

Justice Jagath Balapatabendi is the Chairman of the Commission while the other members include Indrani Sugathadasa, Leelasena Liyanagama, T.R.C. Ruberu, Dayan Gomes, W.H. Piyadasa, Hema Dharmawardena and Nirmal Karunasiri. Sugathadasa is the former Chairperson of the Securities and Exchange Commission and the wife of Senior Advisor to the President Lalith Weeratunga.

The appointments, made by President Gotabhaya Rajapaksa, were confirmed by the Parliamentary Council today, which met under the auspices of Speaker Mahinda Yapa Abeywardena.

Jayaweera was previously appointed a member of the Presidential Task Force for Archaeological Heritage Management in the Eastern Province.

A lawyer by profession, Dilith Jayaweera set up Triad Advertising (Pvt) Limited in 1993, in partnership with Varuni Amunugama, marking the beginning of his highly-successful business career.