Prominent businessman Ashok Pathirage has been appointed the Chairman of SriLankan Airlines.

Pathirage is the Chairman/ Chief Executive Officer of Softlogic Holdings.

Government sources said his appointment was approved by the committee appointed to select suitable individuals to run public sector institutions and SOEs.

SriLankan Airlines is considered one of the worst-performing SOEs in the government sector.

Former President Maithripala Sirisena went on to appoint a Presidential Commission of Inquiry to probe corruption and malpractices at the national airline.