Hanif Yusuf

{{Short description|Sri Lankan businessman and politician (b. 1958)}} {{Infobox officeholder | honorific_prefix = The Right Honourable | native_name = <small>{{nobold|හනීෆ් යූසුෆ්}} <br /> {{nobold|ஹனீஸ் யூசுப்}}</small> | name = Hanif Yusoof | image = | order = 12th Governor of the Western Province | term_start = 28 September 2024 | president = Anura Kumara Dissanayake | prime_minister = Harini Amarasuriya | predecessor = Roshan Goonetileke | birth_date = 1958{{citation needed|date=November 2024}} | birth_place = Kollupitiya, Sri Lanka | known_for = Co-founder of Expolanka Holdings }}

'''Hanif Yusoof''' is a Sri Lankan businessman, entrepreneur, and the current governor of the Western Province of Sri Lanka.<ref>{{Cite web |title=New Governors appointed by the President |url=https://www.adaderana.lk/news/102262/new-governors-appointed-by-the-president |access-date=2024-09-25 |website=www.adaderana.lk |language=en}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |date=2024-09-25 |title=Sri Lanka president appoints new governors |url=https://economynext.com/sri-lanka-president-appoints-new-governors-180987/ |access-date=2024-09-25 |website=EconomyNext |language=en}}</ref> He is also the co-founder of Expolanka Holdings.<ref>{{Cite web |title=Business leader Hanif Yusoof appointed Western Province Governor {{!}} Daily FT |url=https://www.ft.lk/front-page/Business-leader-Hanif-Yusuf-appointed-Western-Province-Governor/44-767175 |access-date=2024-09-26 |website=www.ft.lk |language=English}}</ref>

== Early life and education == Hanif Yusoof was born in Kollupitiya in 1958,{{citation needed|date=November 2024}} to Gujarati parents. His family emigrated to Sri Lanka just before the partition of India, and his grandfather became a citizen at the suggestion of then-prime minister John Kotelawala, who he had met while playing cards. Yusoof was educated at Royal College, Colombo.<ref>{{Cite web |title=Business tycoon Hanif Yusoof becomes Western Province Governor with a vision for change {{!}} Lankannewsweb|url=https://lankanewsweb.net/archives/63121/business-tycoon-hanif-yusuf-becomes-wp-governor-with-a-vision-for-change/#google_vignette |access-date=2024-09-30 |website=www.lankanewsweb.net |language=English}}</ref>

==Career== Yusoof co-founded Expolanka Holdings.<ref>{{Cite web |title=End of an era as veteran entrepreneur Hanif Yusoof to step down at Expolanka {{!}} Daily FT |url=https://www.ft.lk/front-page/End-of-an-era-as-veteran-entrepreneur-Hanif-Yusoof-to-step-down-at-Expolanka/44-759778 |access-date=2024-11-19 |website=www.ft.lk |language=English}}</ref> Under his leadership, Expolanka grew to be the largest company by market capitalisation in Sri Lanka.<ref>{{Cite web |title=Leading business figure appointed governor {{!}} Lankannewsweb |url=https://lankasara.com/news/leading-business-figure-appointed-governor-western/ |access-date=2024-09-30 |website=lankasara.com |language=English}}</ref>

=== Governorship (2024–present) === After the election of Anura Kumara Dissanayake as president in the 2024 Sri Lankan presidential elections, Yusoof was appointed as Governor of the Western Province on 28 September 2024.<ref>{{Cite web |title=Hanif Yusoof Appointed Governor of the Western Province {{!}} World Memon Organisation |url=https://wmoworld.org/hanif-yusoof-appointed-governor-of-the-western-province/ |access-date=2024-11-19 |website=wmoworld.org}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |last=Today |first=Ceylon |date=2024-09-27 |title=Hanif Yusoof Appointed WP Governor: A New Chapter for SL |url=https://ceylontoday.lk/2024/09/28/hanif-yusuf-appointed-wp-governor-a-new-chapter-for-sl/ |access-date=2024-11-19 |website=Ceylon Today |language=en-US}}</ref>

On 29 January 2025, allegations against Yusuf surfaced, accusing Yusoof of being connected to the unauthorised release of 323 containers by Sri Lanka Customs without inspection. Governor Yusoof denied all allegations and filed a complaint with the Criminal Investigation Department (CID) to request an investigation into said allegations.<ref>{{Cite web |title=Governor Yusoof Demands CID Probe to Clear His Name Against 'Malicious' Allegations {{!}} News First SL|url=https://english.newsfirst.lk/2025/01/30/governor-yusoof-demands-cid-probe-to-clear-his-name-against-malicious-allegations |access-date=2025-01-31 |website=english.newsfirst.lk}}</ref>

On 17 May 2026, Yusuf announced that he had decided to resign as governor of Western Province due to personal reasons and that he had already informed President Dissanayake of his decision. He is expected to remain in office until a suitable successor is appointed to facilitate an orderly transition.<ref>{{Cite web |date=2026-05-17 |title=Hanif Yusoof informs President of decision to step down as Western Province Governor |url=https://www.adaderana.lk/news.php?nid=122621 |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20260518064851/https://www.adaderana.lk/news.php?nid=122621 |archive-date=2026-05-18 |access-date=2026-05-18 |website=Ada Derana |language=en}}</ref> He will also continue to serve as President Dissanayake's special envoy on foreign direct investment.<ref>{{Cite web |date=2026-05-18 |title=Hanif to shed Governor role, continue as AKD's Special Envoy on FDI |url=https://www.ft.lk/front-page/Hanif-to-shed-Governor-role-continue-as-AKD-s-Special-Envoy-on-FDI/44-792032 |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20260519080911/https://www.ft.lk/front-page/Hanif-to-shed-Governor-role-continue-as-AKD-s-Special-Envoy-on-FDI/44-792032 |archive-date=2026-05-19 |access-date=2026-05-19 |website=Daily FT |language=English}}</ref>

== References == {{Reflist}}

{{DEFAULTSORT:Yusoof, Hanif}} Category:1958 births Category:Living people Category:Governors of Western Province, Sri Lanka Category:Sri Lankan businesspeople Category:Sri Lankan people of Indian descent