𝐃𝐒𝐈 𝐒𝐚𝐦𝐬𝐨𝐧 𝐆𝐫𝐨𝐮𝐩, 𝐅𝐫𝐨𝐦 𝐆𝐚𝐥𝐥𝐞 𝐒𝐥𝐢𝐩𝐩𝐞𝐫 𝐖𝐨𝐫𝐤𝐬𝐡𝐨𝐩 𝐭𝐨 𝐆𝐥𝐨𝐛𝐚𝐥 𝐂𝐨𝐧𝐠𝐥𝐨𝐦𝐞𝐫𝐚𝐭𝐞

COLOMBO : Founded in 1962 by the late Mr. Diyunuge Samson Rajapaksa, JP, DSI Samson Group originated from a single footwear shop in Colombo Fort. The venture gained traction with the mass production of its signature “Ballerina” slippers at a workshop in Galle. Leveraging early successes in local footwear manufacturing, the family-owned enterprise gradually scaled into one of Sri Lanka’s prominent industrial conglomerates.

The group spans 15 distinct sectors, including footwear, bicycle tires, rubber products, apparel, renewable hydro energy, and food and beverages. Its core manufacturing entity, D Samson Industries (Pvt) Ltd, produces over 60,000 pairs of shoes daily. Additionally, Samson Rubber Industries (Pvt) Ltd manufactures bicycle, motorcycle, and agricultural tires, while Samson Bikes produces roughly 300,000 bicycles per year. Samson Reclaim Rubbers processes up to 7,500 tons of reclaimed rubber annually. Today, its products reach international clients across more than 40 countries.

The group operates more than 29 specialized subsidiaries and maintains a workforce of approximately 10,000 employees. Its retail division, D. Samson & Sons (Pvt) Ltd, drives the domestic footprint with over 200 island-wide exclusive showrooms and a network servicing more than 4,000 independent multi-brand dealers. Publicly listed subsidiaries like Samson International PLC further expand its reach, producing extruded and molded rubber components for both local and foreign industrial applications.

Corporate leadership remains centered on the founder’s lineage and executive guidance. Governance is led by President’s Counsel Uditha Egalahewa as Group Chairman alongside Group Managing Director Kasun Rajapaksa. The broader executive board includes directors Thusitha Rajapaksa, Kavinda Rajapaksa, Asanka Rajapaksa, and Randika Rajapaksa. Independent non-executive members, including Prof. Ajantha Dharmasiri, assist in directing policy and strategic planning. Together, this leadership framework guides the conglomerate’s domestic retail presence and export expansion.