Jayantha Fernando is an Attorney with a “Specialized” Masters Law Degree (LLM) in Telecommunications & IT Law. He has over 25 year’s experience in Digital Law and was responsible for drafting several digital Laws, including the Electronic Transactions Act, Computer Crimes Act and Chaired the Data Protection Drafting Committee, the first-ever comprehensive privacy law in South Asia. Jayantha has international exposure consulting with UNCITRAL, Council of Europe and the World Bank on Digital Law assignments in the Asia- Pacific and African region. He gave leadership to Sri Lanka’s entry into the Budapest Cybercrime Convention (2015) and the UN Electronic Communications Convention (2016), both firsts for South Asia.

He was the founder Legal Advisor of ICTA thereafter functioned as Program Director & General Counsel until April 2023. In this role he developed the legal standards for IT Contracts. He also led the Negotiation of the E-Commerce Chapter in Singapore-Sri Lanka Free Trade Agreement (FTA). Fernando was a founder Director of LK Internet Registry and Chairman of the Board (2014-2021). He was also a founder Director of Sri Lanka CERT (2006 onwards). He is a former Commissioner of the SEC Sri Lanka and currently serves as a Director of Colombo Stock Exchange.  Mr Fernando is a Chevening Scholar (2002) and an Eisenhower Fellow (2012). He’s visiting faculty at University of Colombo, Sri Lanka Law College and the Judges Training Institute. In recognition of his 20 years contribution to ICT Laws, he was presented a “lifetime achievement award” in 2017